Lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium and two flame-retardants to be banned.
“Severe penalties” for non-compliance.

ERA Technology is opening the opportunity for companies to participate in shaping the only Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) analysis programme currently under development in Europe.

The EU directive banning the six types of products potentially could have a considerable impact on manufacturers of many different electrical products. For example, the two fire retardants are frequently added to plastics such as those used in computer casings. Where components of products are imported from outside the EU, it will still be necessary to be able to prove compliance.

Although the directive does not come into force until 1st July 2006, it does not necessarily give manufacturers all that much time. The stages required include researching existing products, devising alternatives, and then production engineering them both for quality and price.

The changeover to lead-free solders has already started, with considerable teething problems since there is no simple one-for-one direct replacement. Eliminating the other substances is also likely to throw up unanticipated problems, not least of these is being able to satisfy regulatory authorities that the directive has actually been complied with.

It is also in everyone’s interest that a common approach to assessing compliance is adopted across the EU. At the moment that does not exist. ERA is anticipating that the new analysis methodology will be formerly adopted across the EU if enough significant stakeholders participate.

Dr Chris Robertson, head of the reliability and failure analysis business at ERA, stated: “Three years may look like a long time to prepare. But it really isn’t when you take into account the time it will take to iron out the inevitable snags with the alternative products that will have to be developed and production engineered. Possibly most dangerous of all is if every country develops its own compliance and testing procedures - that alone is sufficient threat for most people to agree that something has to be done.”

The ERA managed project will cover the following main areas:
	Selection of a representative sample of products from participating manufacturers for analysis.
	Assessment of which components require analysis and for what substances.
	Definition of the most appropriate sampling and analytical techniques through a programme of tests.
	Developing an analytical methodology for demonstrating compliance - made up of sampling procedures, analytical techniques and reporting.
	Results of analysis of the products chosen for assessment.

For a backgrounder on the project, please get in touch with either of the two contacts mentioned above.