RoHS regulations
The RoHS (restrictions on hazardous substances) regulations affect manufacturers, sellers, distributors and recyclers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) containing lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and the plastic flame retardants polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).
In order to put products on the market in the EU, manufacturers will need to ensure that their products and product components comply with the requirements of the regulations by 1 July 2006.
The main objective of RoHS is to protect human health and the environment by restricting the use of certain hazardous substances in new equipment and to complement its sister legislation – the WEEE directive.
Obligated producers (as defined in the regulations) may not put new EEE, which falls into any of the eight categories listed below, containing more than the permitted levels of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBBs or PBDEs, on the market in the EU.
- Large household appliances
- Small household appliances
- IT and telecommunication equipment
- Consumer equipment
- Lighting equipment
- Electrical and electronic tools (with the exception of large-scale stationary industrial tools)
- Toys, leisure and sports equipment
- Automatic dispensers
These categories reflect the categories in the WEEE directive. In addition, the RoHS regulations apply to both electric light bulbs and to house light fixings.
Certain applications listed in the RoHS regulations are exempt, and there is also an exemption for spare parts used for the repair of equipment put on the market before 1 July 2006. The regulations do not apply to the re-use of equipment placed on the market before 1 July 2006.
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