RoHS Compliance Explained

RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) is the nickname given to the European Union's directive 2002/95/EC on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. RoHS is closely related to the European Union's directive 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). RoHS references Annex 1A of WEEE to specify its scope of coverage (Categories 1-7 and 10). While closely related, RoHS and WEEE deal with different parts of the product life cycle. RoHS seeks to reduce the amount of hazardous materials entering electronic products while WEEE deals with reducing the amount of electronics entering landfills. RoHS is the beginning, and WEEE is the end.

If RoHS information about a material is known, the material will receive one of the two designations listed below.

• RoHS Compliant - Materials that a resin manufacturer has stated are in compliance with the RoHS directive carry this designation. These manufacturers generally have RoHS approval documents for these materials.
• Contact Manufacturer - Materials from resin manufacturers who prefer to speak with clients about the RoHS compliance of a material before a declaration is made carry this designation. These manufacturers are aware of RoHS and are prepared to handle inquiries.

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