EU Policy

RoHS

In recent years we have seen a massive boom in the production of electronic equipment. According to the European Commission, the EU is generating 9.3 million tonnes of electric and electronic equipment which is leading to an increasingly large amount of electronic waste.

Electronic equipment often contains chemical substances and material that could be harmful to human heath and the environment, such as PBTs (persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic) or CMRs (carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction).

Also, other harmful substances are released into the environment during the use and treatment of electronic waste. For instance, scientific studies have revealed that the burning and melting of flame retardants (brominated and chlorinated) and plastic resins like PVC (polyvinyl chloride) formed dioxin, a highly toxic chemical.

The European Union decided to regulate this situation at the beginning of the 2000s with the adoption of the WEEE Directive and the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS).

Often referred as the “lead-free directive”, the RoHS Directive has successfully contributed to the design of cleaner electrical and electronic goods at the global level by restricting the use of six chemical substances:

  • Lead
  • Mercury
  • Cadmium
  • Hexavalent chromium
  • Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB)
  • Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE)

However, the current legislative framework does not properly address the issue of other hazardous substances contained in EEE equipment which remain a threat.  As the European Commission itself recognised, only one third of electronics are reported to be treated in line with these laws, “the other two thirds going to landfill and… to sub-standard treatment sites in or outside the EU”.  Some manufacturers have proven that less toxic, substitution, products indeed exist which have proven to be technologically feasible and cost-effective.

Reviewing the directive

Acknowledging the need for a resource-efficient economy, protecting the European citizen and the environment, the EU announced its intention to review the electronic goods framework.

One of the key elements of the Commission proposal to review the RoHS Directive is the substance ban (methodology and substance bans).

The Oeko Institut has undertaken the scientific review for the European Commision on the review for substance restrictions, and has proposed (new) substance restrictions, that have unfortunately not been taken up in the Commission proposal. The scientific study can be found here.

Discussions on RoHS to date have produced positive Council and Parliament responses so far regarding extending the scope of the Directive and making its methodology complementary to REACH.

Discussion now needs to turn to the important issue of the extension of the list of prohibited substances. Within the European Parliament Jill Evans, rapporteur of the ENVI Committee, published in late 2009 a draft report on the Commission proposal.

Evans proposes a straightforward substance ban for halogenated flame retardants (BFRs and CFRs) as well as PVC and its hazardous additives (phtalates) from 2014.

Evans also highlighted the urgent need to take in account the cumulative exposure for workers treating EEE waste; and the potential release of hazardous substances (such as dangerous dioxins) during waste treatment.

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