Directive Decoder

Articles on REACH seem to be very popular with readers of this blog. With local radio now advertising REACH in the UK in an attempt to raise awareness, it is clear that there will be many companies who are still not aware of the potential impact on their business.

Now is the time to understand more about the REACH Regulations as some, or even all, of the 16 provisional substances of very high concern, or SVHCs, are likely to be officially confirmed in the coming weeks.

There will be an obligation to pass information down the supply chain where these SVHCs are included in articles at a level of above 0.1% by weight.

REACH is some 278 pages of regulations that can be summarised in this quick reference guide and the complimentary Substances in Articles document.

Directive Decoder

ERA Technology has announced the programme for its influential two-day environmental product legislation conference, 'Electrical and Electronic Equipment and the Environment 2008 - Meeting the Technical and Regulatory Challenges', which will be held on the 19-20 November 2008 at the Sheraton Skyline Hotel, Heathrow, London. The conference is the 10^th in a successful portfolio of environmental events.

This prestigious event will bring together expert speakers, from around the world to present details of the very latest developments in the key environmental legislation affecting electrical and electronic products: REACH, EuP (eco-design), RoHS, WEEE and Batteries regulations.

Funded by Yorkshire Forward, the Learning and Skills Council, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF), Electronics Yorkshire  (EYL) is a not for profit company whose board of directors is drawn from the region's electronics industry and who serve on an independent non-executive basis.

Their aim is to support and assist the growth of the electronics sector throughout Yorkshire and the Humber by:

• Providing an industry dedicated training centre delivering IPC and tailored courses to companies and individuals in the electronics sector;
• Maintaining a broad resource of some of the very latest leading edge equipment available in their technology centre for interested companies to access both for their own use and for training;
• Operating a Membership network for electronics businesses throughout the region, promoting collaboration and complimentary services so as to benefit individual companies and the sector as a whole.

Directive Decoder

Do you have WEEE, scrap electrical or electronic waste which you need disposing of safely and environmentally? Electrocycle can collect and recycle this for you locally and using an infrastructure established under the WEEE regulations.

Directive Decoder

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has today confirmed 15 Substances of Very High Concern.

Suppliers will be obliged to tell their customers where any of these are present in articles above permitted values.

ECHA press release. 

Directive Decoder

By far the most frequently asked question surrounding the New Batteries Directive (2006/66/EC) is that of stock.

For clarity, stock placed on the market up to, and including the 25th of September should comply with the

"Old" Battery Directive (91/157/EEC). Anything placed on the market on, or after the 26th of September must meet the requirements of the New Battery Directive including the wide ranging Producer responsibilities.

If you are in the REACH supply chain how should you be looking to pass information onto your customers around Substances of Very High Concern, where present at levels of 0.1% or more, by weight of the product, and information such as safe use?

Well, as I understand it, the web is fine, but not the web alone, and there should be a pro-active element to the communication.

The H&SE in the UK recently said:

"We would recommend that the information should be actively provided in an appropriate format (e.g. paper) when the articles are first supplied to customers. You may also choose to make the information available on websites."

The Act for Recycling of Electrical and Electronic Equipment and Automobiles, Bill Number 176319 (known as Korea-RoHS) passed a Second Reading in the Korean National Assembly on the 2 April 2007 and came into force on 1^st January 2008.  The legislative text is available in Korean and, as an unofficial translation, in English language.

The Act includes four main requirements:

• Restrictions on hazardous materials (from 1^st July 2008)
• Design for efficient recycling
• Collection and recycling of WEEE
• Recycling of vehicles at end-of-life

Many of the detailed requirements are not included in the legislation and have been announced subsequently by a series of Presidential Decrees or Enforcement Ordinances. These are available only in Korean language.

Full report on Korean RoHS.

Directive Decoder

Europe now finds itself at the centre of the contentious issue that the European Commission refers to as "backyard recycling".

Organohalogen compounds are, in general, non hazardous but a ban is being considered in an attempt to prevent uncontrolled and unsafe recycling practices that are carried out in India, China and Africa.

The fact that this happens is not in question and many people, especially the young, are harmed by the toxic chemicals that are emitted when some of these substances are burnt over open fires to recover materials such as copper, silver and aluminium from electronic waste that has reached end-of-life.

For the full story around the dangers of lead poisoning click on the link.

Directive Decoder

Like many others, are you now thinking that REACH may impact your business after all?

Well, it's time to do a little research especially if you may have to register a substance or if you are obligated to pass information downstream to users.

So where can you access relevant information?

The Farnell Step-by-Step Guide, now on version 5, is free to download and provides a simple to follow overview of the regulations. This is a useful starting point.

As you will know, the so called China RoHS is running a year or so late. While the labelling requirements were implemented in March 2007, the first edition of the China RoHS "Catalogue" including details of any restricted substances, implementation dates, exemptions etc is now some 12 months overdue.

However, the China Quality Management Association for the Electronics Industry (CQAE) is to host a meeting next month that is expected to provide an update on China RoHS and WEEE.

Watch this space for details.

If, like me, this had gone to the back of your mind then here is your China RoHS Refresher.

Directive Decoder

New legislation in Illinois states from January 2012 landfill sites will be prohibited from knowingly accepting "covered" electronic devices for disposal.

Illinois now see's itself as a national leader in solving the ever increasing problem of toxic electronic waste.

In the absence of a widespread RoHS Directive in North America, old electronic equipment can contain toxic substances and pose a real risk to the public as well as the environment when dumped in landfill.

Busy times at the minute as customers request detailed information around REACH Substances of Very High Concern.

Those of you who were involved in RoHS back in 2005 / 2006 may well remember the challenge of obtaining timely information around compliance from manufacturers.

Well, it will be no different with REACH.

How long will it take the manufacturer or importer to start the information flow down the supply chain?

Who knows but I suspect that there will be a great deal of managing expectations!