WEEE/RoHS

On June 16th, INTERTest Systems hosted a seminar presented by Geoffrey Bock of TUV Rheinland of North America on the new WEEE/RoHS Directives for the European Union. These directives will greatly impact producers of all types of goods sold in the EU from household appliances and toys and sport/leisure equipment to lighting and medical equipment. Are you ready?

The following is a list of the product categories affected by WEEE/RoHS:

• Household appliance (big and small)
• IT and telecommunications equipment
• Consumer Equipment
• Lighting Equipment
• Electrical and electronic equipment
• Toys, Sports and leisure equipment
• Automatic Dispensers
• Medical devices (must only comply with WEEE after 2008)
• Monitoring and Control Devices (must only comply with WEEE after Aug. '05)
• Electric bulbs (must only comply with RoHS)
• Luminaires in households (must only comply with RoHS

The WEEE Directive, or Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment, will affect how consumers dispose of your product at the end of the product life. Is it necessary to remove certain components before disposal? Can the unit be placed in a landfill or must it be recycled? What steps must you take to inform consumers on the proper disposal methods of your product? What markings must you place on your product to be in compliance? All these are questions defined and answered by the WEEE Directive which takes effect on August 13, 2005 for most products.

The RoHS Directive, or Restriction of Hazardous Substances, sets limits on the amount of certain materials (deemed hazardous or unsafe to the environment) that may be used in your products. Materials such as lead, chromium, hexavalent chromium, mercury, polybrominated biphenyl and polybrominated biphenylethers are all limited under the new RoHS Directive which takes effect July 1st, 2006.

If you need more information on these directives please contact INTERTest Systems.