EN
RoHS Directive on the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment
The RoHS Directive, adopted by the European Union in February 2003, places restrictions on the use of certain hazardous substances in the manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment.
On 8 June 2011, a new Directive 2011/65/EU Directive RoHS2 was published, covering the same hazardous substances with the same mass concentration values in homogeneous materials as the previous RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC:
- Lead (0.1%)
- Mercury (0.1%)
- Cadmium (0.01%)
- Hexavalent chromium (0.1%)
- Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) (0.1%)
- Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) (0.1%)
According to the European Union definition, these concentration values do not refer to the weight of the final product or of each individual component, but only to the weight of the homogeneous material – a homogeneous substance that can be
- large household appliances,
- small household appliances,
- IT equipment and telecommunications equipment,
- household equipment,
- lighting fixtures and systems,
- electrical and electronic tools (except large, stationary industrial tools),
- toys and sports equipment,
- automation.
As a method for determining lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, the X-ray fluorescence method is recommended, namely the portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer "MetExpert". The analyzer will allow to refuse lead solders in the technology as a whole, and also to control purchased products.
