As of 01 July 2006, the 25 EU Member States will feel the significant effects of two new European directives with regard to electrical and electronic equipment, being the WEEE directive 2002/96/EC (Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and the RoHS directive 2002/95/EC (Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances).
The objectives of the WEEE and RoHS directives are to stimulate innovative and constructive solutions that minimise the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
In terms of scope, the WEEE directive imposes restrictions on the use of hazardous substances during the manufacture and recycling of electrical and electronic equipment.
In addition to recycling electrical and electronic equipment, reuse and other forms of a second life-cycle for electrical and electronic components are stimulated.
A producer who puts electrical and/or electronic equipment on the European market after 31 June 2006 must guarantee that his equipment and the processing thereof (reuse and recycling) meet the requirements of the WEEE directive.
From 01 July 2006, the RoHS directive prohibits the use in Europe of specific substances in electric and electronic equipment. These banned substances are lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDE).
The WEEE directive 2002/96/EC / 2003/108/EC
The WEEE directive applies to electric and electronic equipment that meets the following three criteria:
Ø Equipment which is dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic fields in order to work properly and equipment for the generation, transfer and measurement of such currents and fields.
Ø Equipment falling under the categories set out in Annex IA and more specifically Annex IB to Directive 2002/96/EC (WEEE).
Ø Equipment designed for use with a voltage rating not exceeding 1000 volts for alternating current and 1500 volts for direct current.
The producer is only required to act in accordance with the mandatory requirements of the WEEE directive if all three criteria above apply to electrical and/or electronic equipment in a complete state.
The producer must demonstrate the compliance of his electric and/or electronic equipment with the WEEE directive by means of the three markings below.
Ø Symbol of Annex IV to the WEEE directive, being the crossed-out wheelie bin.
Ø Identification of the enterprise with European responsibility.
Ø Indication of the year on which the equipment was placed on the European market.
RoHS directive 2002/95/EC
The RoHS directive concerns electric and electronic equipment falling under the categories set out in Annex IA and more specifically Annex IB to Directive 2002/96/EC (WEEE), being categories 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10. This electrical and electronic equipment may not contain substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDE).
It is real nightware for some small factories, since they would cost too much for test and they have to change some parts/design to
catch standards.So, the whole costing will be much higher and then
make them loss some customers. At present, all European customers request certificate even if small electric products are equipped with other products.But I believe most Chinese factory can recover very quickly, since Chinese facotry presently are having stronger and stronger innovation and own enough capability to meet with various challenge.
the EC-law does NOT require certifications that products comply with rohs or weee, usually the importers or so called "first marketers" request the certificates as they are legally liable.
law "only" requires that the products have to comply with the latest directives but there is no authority (customs etc.) that ask for certificates.
b.t.w. those new directives are not only a nightmare to the manufacturers but also to the importers/first marketers (as we are) as prices for "good" products drastically increase and sometimes even manufacturers don't know what materials they get from their pre-suppliers.
only way to find out if your products comply with the relevant regulations is to physically get them tested at an independant laboratory that knows about the regulations/directives/mandatory testing scopes (there are many of those labs like sgs, intertek, str etc.)
ah, if anyone out there is sure he can supply small promotional electronics (radios, mini video-games etc.) that comply with the latest EC-directives and are still cheap, please contact me
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Thanks for the helpful information.
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New comer !learning! Thank you