CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND RETAIL E-SSENTIALS

CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND RETAIL E-SSENTIALS

Your regular update for technical and industry information

Your regular update for technical and industry information

EU: New stakeholder consultation opens for RoHS exemptions

February 2018- Relevant for: Electrical & electronics

The European Commission (EC) has published initiatives to amend exemptions (See Table A) in Annex III of RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU1. The Commission is now collecting feedback until 15 March 2018. This is the second batch of exemptions renewal followed by the consultation launched in September 20172.

Directive 2011/65/EU requires member states to ensure that electrical and electronic equipment placed on the market does not contain certain hazardous substances listed in Annex II to the Directive. However, that requirement does not apply to the applications listed in Annex III and IV. Directive 2011/65/EC also established the procedure for inclusion, renewal, amendments and revoking of exemptions.

The Commission received requests for granting new and renewing existing exemptions which were expired on 21 July 2016 for specific categories. In accordance with Article 5(5) of Directive 2011/65/EU, those exemptions remain valid until a decision on that renewal application has been adopted.

Back to October 2017, the Commission amended12the exemption for cadmium in colour converting light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for use in display systems. The new amendment will enter into force from 20 November 2017, and the Member States shall adopt these provisions by 21 November 2018.

Table A. Draft amendments to Annex III of RoHS Directive

Exemption

Exempted applications

Categories

Expires on

7(c)-II3

Lead in dielectric ceramic in capacitors for a rated voltage of 125 V AC or 250 V DC or higher

Does not apply to applications covered by point 7(c)-I and 7(c)-IV of this Annex.

Categories 1-7 and 10

21 July 2021

Categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments

21 July 2021

Category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices

21 July 2023

Category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for Category 11

21 July 2024

7(c)-IV4

Lead in PZT (lead-zirconium-titanate) based dielectric ceramic materials for capacitors which are part of integrated circuits or discrete semiconductors

All Categories

21 July 2021

8(b)5

Cadmium and its compounds in electrical contacts

Categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments

21 July 2021

Category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices

21 July 2023

Category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for Category 11

21 July 2024

8(b)-I5
(NEW)

Cadmium and its compounds in electrical contacts used in:

  • circuit breakers;

  • thermal sensing controls;

  • thermal motor protectors (excluding hermetic

  • thermal motor protectors);

  • AC switches rated at:

  • DC switches rated at 20 A and more at 18 V DC and more; and

  • switches for use at voltage supply frequency ≥ 200 Hz

Categories 1 to 7 and 10

21 July 2021

156

Lead in solders to complete a viable electrical connection between semiconductor die and carrier within integrated circuit flip chip packages

Categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments

21 July 2021

Category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices

21 July 2023

Category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for category 11

21 July 2024

15(a)6
(NEW)

Lead in solders to complete a viable electrical connection between the semiconductor die and carrier within integrated circuit flip chip packages where at least one of the following criteria applies:

  • a semiconductor technology node of 90 nm or larger;

  • a single die of 300 mm2 or larger in any semiconductor technology node;

  • stacked die packages with die of 300 mm2 or larger, or silicon interposers of 300 mm2 or larger.

Categories 1 to 7 and 10

21 July 2021

217

Lead and cadmium in printing inks for the application of enamels on glasses, such as borosilicate and soda lime glasses

Categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments

21 July 2021

Category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices

21 July 2023

Category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for Category 11

21 July 2024

21(a)7
(NEW)

Cadmium when used in colour printed glass to provide filtering functions, used as a component in lighting applications installed in displays and control panels of EEE

Categories 1 to 7 and 10 except applications covered by entry 21(b) or 39

21 July 2021

21(b)7
(NEW)

Cadmium in printing inks for the application of enamels on glasses, such as borosilicate and soda lime glasses

Categories 1 to 7 and 10 except applications covered by entry 21(a) or 39

21 July 2021

21(c)7
(NEW)

Lead in printing inks for the application of enamels on other than borosilicate glasses

Categories 1 to 4, 6, 7 and 10

21 July 2021

298

 

Lead bound in crystal glass as defined in Annex I (Categories 1, 2, 3 and 4) of Council Directive 69/493/EEC9

Categories 1-7 and 10

21 July 2021

Categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments

21 July 2021

Category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices

21 July 2023

Category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for Category 11

21 July 2024

3210

 

Lead oxide in seal frit used for making window assemblies for Argon and Krypton laser tubes

Categories 1-7 and 10

21 July 2021

Categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments

21 July 2021

Category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices

21 July 2023

Category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for category 11

21 July 2024

3711

 

Lead in the plating layer of high voltage diodes on the basis of a zinc borate glass body

Categories 1-7 and 10

21 July 2021

Categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments

21 July 2021

Category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices

21 July 2023

Category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for category 11

21 July 2024

 

[1] Consolidated version of RoHS 2 Directive
[2] EU intended to amend RoHS 2 lead exemptions, October 2017
[3] Consultation on RoHS exemption (7c-II)
[4] Consultation on RoHS exemption (7c-IV)
[5] Consultation on RoHS exemption (8b) and (8b-I)
[6] Consultation on RoHS exemption (15) and (15a)
[7] Consultation on RoHS exemption (21), (21a), (21b), (21c)
[8] Consultation on RoHS exemption (29)
[9] Council Directive 69/493/EEC of 15 December 1969
[10] Consultation on RoHS exemption (32)
[11] Consultation on RoHS exemption (37)
[12] EU: RoHS amended exemption for cadmium in colour converting LEDs, November 2017

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