The Evolution of RoHS: Enhancing Environmental Compliance and Sustainability

RoHS is short for "Restriction of Hazardous Substances", i.e. certain chemical substances (heavy metals and flame retardants), which are detrimental for humans and/or nature. The RoHS legislations covers only electrical and electronic products. It shall also enhance the possibilities and economic profitability of recycling waste products and decrease the negative health impact on workers in recycling plants.

The scope of products differs somewhat between countries/regions. In Europe, it concerns all types of electrical and electronic products that will go into normal recycling of such products.

Countries/regions having already implemented RoHS are:
-The EU/EEA member states
-The EAEU member states, i.e. Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan.
-Ukraine, -Turkey, -UAE, -Oman, -Serbia, -China, -Taiwan, -Singapore, -Japan, -South Korea, -India,
-Vietnam, -US states California and ​​New Jersey

And these will follow soon:
-Saudi Arabia
-The other GSO member states (ex. UAE), i.e. Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait
-Brazil

​​​Nemko offers manufacturers and exporters certification/verification of product compliance, based on check of technical documentation and testing of “high risk” materials, as basis for compliance marking.                                                                                                                           

In Europe, RoHS has been mandatory since the Directive 2002/95/EC was firstly implemented in 2006, more than 15 years ago. It has since been updated/amended several times. The current version is Directive 2011/65/EU.  

Now, the Commission of the European Union (EU) has launched a public consultation on this Directive, asking for input from a wide range of stakeholders on potential changes to improve this essential legislation.

The consultation seeks inputs specific to several options, including supplementing the Directive with informal guidance, replacing the Directive with a Regulation to provide uniform application between the member states, or repealing the RoHS Directive altogether and integrating its key provisions into the current European REACH Regulation.

More information about this consultation is available at this link, which also links to a questionnaire that allows interested parties to contribute to the consultation. Comments must be submitted not later than June 2, 2022.

For further information, please contact Kenny.Ho@nemko.com or JonIvar.Tidemann@nemko.com 

(Article is based on text provided by Kenny HO, edited by T.Sollie)