Restriction of Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations, 2012

The Restriction of Use of Hazardous
Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS) Directive primarily
aims to ensure that EU Member States apply common restrictions on the levels of
hazardous substances that may be present in a wide range of electrical and
electronic equipment, as well as minimising the end of life environmental impact
of that equipment.

The original Directive published in
2002 was implemented through L.N. 396 of 2004 and its amendments; the
Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and
Electronic Equipment Regulations which came into force on 1 July 2006.

The new RoHS Directive, 2011/65/EU1
was published on 1 July 2011. It has a different scope and obligations on those
placing products on the market.

The original policy of the RoHS
Directive to protect human health and the environment across the European
single market remains the same. However, the new Directive brings forward
changes to:

Broaden
the scope of products covered

Require
the "CE" and other marking of compliant products and new conformity assessment
procedures

Provide
for new exclusions from scope

Provide for new criteria for the
application and duration of exemptions

Introduces
an end date after which non-compliant product cannot be made available.

Between 2005 and 2008, the Commission
consultants undertook a number of research projects into various aspects of the
RoHS Directive. The results of those studies can be downloaded from the EC's
Europa website at
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/rohs_eee/studies_rohs2_en.htm

A new online stakeholder consultation
started on November 9th 2012 and will run for twelve weeks until February 1st
2013.

The consultation covers 4 RoHS
exemption requests:

Exemption
request 12 "Leaded solder utilized in stacked, area array electronics
packaging within ionizing radiation detectors including CT and X-ray"

Exemption
request 13 "Lead in platinized platinum electrodes for measurement
instruments"

Exemption
request 14 "Lead in solders for the ignition module and other electronic
engine controls mounted directly on or close to the cylinder of hand-held
engines (classes SH: 1, SH: 2, SH: 3 of 2002/88/EC)"

Exemption
request 15 "Hand crafted luminous discharge tubes (HLDT) used for signs,
decorative or general lighting and light-artwork"

All corresponding information can be
found at http://rohs.exemptions.oeko.info/index.php?id=152.