RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) used in Electrical/Electronic Equipment
RoHS is a global challenge...
What is the RoHS Directive?
Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parlement and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) other wise known as the RoHS Directive; seeks to reduce the impact of EEE on the environment by restricting the use of certain hazardous substances during the manufacture of such products. The Directive is a single market directive and is complementary to the Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive.
The EU RoHS Directive limits the use of a number of hazardous substances in amounts not exceeding set maximum limits, these substances are:
- Lead
- Hexavalent Chromium
- Mercury
- Polybrominated Biphenyls
- Cadmium
- Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers
How does your company demonstrate RoHS compliance?
Affected products that must be compliant under the EU RoHS (2002/95/EC) Directive which became enforceable on the 1st July 2006 are as follows:
- Consumer Equipment
- Large and small household appliances
- Lighting equipment
- IT & telecommunications equipment
- Automatic dispensers
- Toy, leisure & sports equipment
- Electrical & electronic tools
The scope of the products affected is expected to grow in the coming years to include monitoring and control equipment plus medical equipment.
RoHS Trusted Kitemark » The answer to RoHS Compliance?
Developed specifically to help companies through the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances used in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) compliance process, the RoHS Trusted Kitemark is a certification scheme that provides the basis for a robust process and is recognised by National Weights and Measures Laboratory, the UK RoHS enforcement agency.
The RoHS Trusted Kitemark provides:
- Gap Analysis & RoHS readiness reports
- Route to focussed testing based on risk
- RoHS awareness & training
- Licence to use the RoHS Trusted Kitemark
Key Elements:
- Material Control Plan assessment using QC80000
- Ongoing Analysis, including focused, risk-based testing
- Ongoing Assessment, with onsite audits and certification
Key Benefits:
- Recognised by the UK RoHS Enforcement Agency
- Recognised by UK & European Industry
- Builds Confidence throughout the supply chain
- Reduces overall RoHS testing costs
- Can include QC80000 Certification
- Helps you sell your products, and increase profits
- Independent Certification allows your company to demonstrate compliance
- Bespoke RoHS Services
BSI also offer a range of bespoke RoHS services including:
- Tailored Training
- Supply Chain reviews & assessments
- Second Party Audits against QC80000 or defined criteria
- RoHS material testing
FAQs on RoHS Kitemark
How can you police the RoHS Kitemark and who is responsible for this?
As with all Kitemarks, the RoHS Trusted Kitemark follows strict operating guidelines laid down within BSI that ensure that the process of Kitemark licensing a company is always fair and consistent. A key element of this is the ongoing audits of the licensee as defined in the Kitemark protocol. These regular audits ensure that the RoHS Trusted Kitemark licensee is maintaining their RoHS processes.
The audits are further backed up by independent chemical analysis of selected samples. Any deficiencies found during the audit are highlighted to the licensee so they can make any necessary corrective actions required to maintain their RoHS compliance. BSI has a growing number of RoHS trained auditors within the UK, China and Asia; and it is the responsibility of these auditors to conduct the regular on-site audits.
Does the value of the RoHS Kitemark depend on large spread adoption of it?
The RoHS Trusted Kitemark provides tremendous overall value. Firstly, as a member of the UK RoHS Conformity Assessment Group (URCAG), BSI has been working to ensure that the RoHS Trusted Kitemark meets the requirements of the recently published National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) Enforcement Paper.
As a result, RoHS Trusted Kitemark licensees have confidence that they can demonstrate to the enforcement agency that they have the ability to comply with the Directive. Secondly, companies gaining the RoHS Trusted Kitemark may leverage significant commercial benefits by giving confidence to their customers through a compliant supply-chain and a clear marketing advantage.
Clearly, as the number of RoHS Trusted Kitemark companies continues to grow the benefits and value of the Kitemark are spread through out the entire supply chain. A producer being supplied by a RoHS Trusted Kitemark company can have the confidence that the supplier’s RoHS claims are backed up by the Kitemark, which in turn helps manage the risk to the end producer.
How much does it cost firms to get a RoHS Kitemark?
The overall cost may vary from company to company depending on the size of the company and the scope of the licence. This first step provides the client with RoHS assessment and gap-analysis, the essential building blocks to help start their action plan to becoming RoHS Compliant.
Overall, the cost of the Kitemark licence pails into insignificance compared to the risk not being able to provide evidence to the enforcement agency and having product removed from the market. RoHS Trusted Kitemark licensees have the confidence that they have the systems and process in place and evidence to demonstrate this.
Why should firms bother with the RoHS Kitemark?
Simply put, the process of gaining the RoHS Trusted Kitemark means that RoHS Trusted Kitemark licensees have the ability to provide supporting evidence to back up their RoHS declarations should they be challenged by enforcement bodies. This confidence and trust is in turn passed up through the supply chain to their customers.
Is the European attitude to standards more consensual than the US approach?
Standards form an integral part of industries these days and affect and impact on all markets worldwide, regardless of whether the standard is British, European, North American or even military. It is not really a question of the degree of consensus but more about what is appropriate.
