Hazardous Substances, Electrical and Electronic Equipment have been categorized for labeling, tracking, restriction, and recycling. The objective is to promote the use of environmentally friendly materials and manufacturing processes. The financial burden to support this transition in production is assigned by requirements to provide adequate programs for collection, recycling, and disposal. These costs are primarily carried on the shoulders of the manufacturers and producers of the products. To remain competitive and to support the environmental initiatives, manufacturers and industry associations will need to work together and collaborate on solutions that facilitate consistent programs and processes.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive is a set of guidelines initially designed in Europe as a means to categorize all types of electronic goods. The directive imposes responsibility on manufacturers to label products and establish an infrastructure in such a way that end-users of the equipment should have the possibility to identify and return Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment free of charge. Manufacturers are compelled to coordinate collection for ecological disposal, reuse or refurbishment.
Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)
The Restriction of Hazardous Materials is an internationally recognized directive with the intent to provide common standards that can be used by individual countries and regions to establish internal laws and regulations governing the proper ecologically friendly disposal of electrical and electronic waste. RoHS has often been referred to as the "lead free initiative", but it actually promotes restrictions on six hazardous substances.
1. Lead
2. Mercury
3. Cadmium
4. Haxavalent Chromium (VI or Cr6+)
5. Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB*)
6. Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE*)
* PBB and PBDE are flame retardants used in some plastics.
The RoHS directive applies to equipment defined by a section of the WEEE directive and numeric categories.
1. Large and Small Household Appliances, including Ovens, Toasters, Refrigerators, etc
2. IT equipment, including PC's, Printers, etc
3. Telecommunications equipment including phones, faxes, etc
4. Consumer electronics including TV's, VCR's, CD Players, etc
5. Lighting Equipment, including light bulbs and fluorescent tubes
6. Electronic and Electrical Tools, including drills, lawnmowers, etc
7. Toys, Leisure and Sports equipment, including fitness machines
8. Medical devices are current exempt, but categorized for future consideration
9. Monitoring and control equipment is currently exempt, but categories for future consideration
10. Automatic dispensers, including ATMs
Batteries are not included in RoHS, but are covered by the European Commission's Battery Directive of 1991. The European Commission is also studying possible inclusion of medical equipment, monitoring, and control equipment. These items were excluded from the original list of product categories, but it is commonly recognized that the list will be expanded and enhanced with to include categorization of additional hazardous substances
Article Source : http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=John_Mehrmann