Regulation: The use of substances are restricted by EU legislation including the Marketing and Use Directive, soon to be replaced by the REACH regulations, RoHS and others. Production processes are also controlled to minimize emissions of pollutants and to protect workers. Permits may be needed to operate production processes and these are based on the IPPC directive. Best available technology will need to be followed to obtain and retain a permit and will consider restrictions on emissions to water and to air and health and safety regulations. Compliance with these requirements is important from several perspectives; legal, ethical, and to secure investment. These factors figure prominently under the banner of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

The IPPC directive is being amended and the new directive will incorporate the VOC Solvents directive. The scope will include electroplating and other coating processes, electronic recycling processes and the use of solvents in coatings, cleaning, etc.

Markets: Chemicals are used in the manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment, printed circuit boards, components, electronic materials and in the recycling of waste electrical equipment at end of life. The philosophy of the IPPC directive is to use the best available technology and minimise the emission of wastes.

Services: ERA is an established provider of compliance services to the electrical and electronic product sector for decades including the EMC, LVD and RoHS Directives. ERA’s RFA group carries out independent audits of chemical processes to review compliance with EU and national legislation, and assess their efficacy versus best available technology (BAT). ERA has the necessary skills and experience for carrying out environmental reviews of processes as staff include chemists who have been involved in the development of a variety of novel processes from inception to scale up and commissioning of new plant.