What are the specific requirements of the RoHS Directive and WEEE Directive?
RoHS Directive The RoHS Directive bans the use of certain restricted substances in end products, which prevents the substances from entering waste streams. According to the directive, new electrical equipment placed on the market within Europe cannot contain more than maximum allowable levels of: • Lead • Cadmium • Mercury • Hexavalent chromium • Polybrominated bipenyl (PBB) • Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) • Certain brominated flame-retardants (BFR’S) Among the RoHS Directive’s largest impacts to manufacturers is the transition from the use of lead solders to lead-free solders. It is crucial that manufacturers understand how RoHS compliance and WEEE compliance will affect you as well as the impact that this change could have on product design and overall product performance. WEEE Directive The WEEE Directive covers the waste management of electrical and electronic products and requires that new equipment placed on the market within Europe must comply with the collection, treatme
