What is RoHS?
The RoHS (often pronounced "ross") Directive stands for "the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment". This Directive will ban the placing on the EU market of new electrical and electronic equipment containing more than agreed levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants from 1 July 2006.

Manufacturers will need to understand the requirements of the RoHS Directive to ensure that their products, and their components, comply. At this time you only need to be concerned about this if you are selling products to the European market.

The Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) 2002/95/EC was adopted in February 2003 by the European Union. The RoHS directive takes effect on July 1, 2006, but is not a law; it is simply a directive. This directive restricts the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment. It is closely linked with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) 2002/96/EC which sets collection, recycling and recovery targets for electrical goods and is part of a legislative initiative to solve the problem of huge amounts of toxic e-waste.

For more information and recent updates, please visit the European Commission: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/waste/weee_index.htm

What are the 6 banned substances?

- Lead
- Cadmium
- Mercury
- Hexavalent Chromium (Chromium VI)
- Polybrominated biphenyl (PBB)
- Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE)