IHS White Paper: Will Controls on Hazardous Materials in Electronics Impact Supplies and Production?

As environmental-driven regulations emerge in markets worldwide, electronics manufacturers and industries using electronic components cannot ignore hazardous materials or the changes taking place for compliance. The significance of hazardous materials used in manufacturing continues to grow with additional regulations, therefore compliance is a necessary ongoing process or companies run the risk of being shut out of markets. Virtually all electronics industries are affected either directly or indirectly by environmental regulations and must strategically address them.

This paper reviews the controls on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) disposal and restrictions on the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS) in European markets, as well as the China RoHS requirements. Implementation readiness and strategies are noted along with the impacts for manufacturers that currently do not have to comply with WEEE or RoHS requirements.

The following are discussed:

• EU Directives of recycle and re-use, which require importers and manufacturers of electrical and electronics products to recycle products discarded by end users
• RoHS controls, which requires companies to reduce and eliminate a variety of hazardous substances in products
• Self-declaration of compliance as a first step companies must take in the compliance process
• Differences between EU compliance and China’s compliance
• Effective management of obsolete parts and materials
• Effective RoHS requirements

Data quality, accuracy, and timeliness are essential to effectively formulate logistic and design responses that mitigate down time and ensure quality. A dependable third-party standards and management information solution provider can provide companies with detailed compliance, material content, replacement part, and manufacturing information to support compliance processes. IHS data is updated on a regular basis using rigorous processes to assure the highest quality possible.

Download this paper to gain insight into RoHS compliance strategy and understand the impacts for manufacturers not required to comply with RoHS or WEEE.

Related topics:

• EU RoHS
• European RoHS Directive
• Product lifecycle management (PLM)
• PLM technologies
• Electronic and information products (EIPs)
• Hazardous materials-related marks
• Product change notice (PCN)
• End-of-life (EOL)
• Environment, safety, and health (ES&H)