In response to growing concerns about the effects of hazardous materials in the waste stream on the environment,the European Union (EU) passed a directive in 2002 entitled the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS). Even though RoHS is simple in scope and limits the use of only six substances,it nevertheless has created significant challenges for manufacturers trying to prepare for the day they must begin to comply with the directive on July 1,2006.
Legislation such as RoHS and its sister ruling,the EU’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive,are forcing companies to examine not only how to ensure compliance but also how to manage information about the parts used in the manufacture of their electronic and electrical equipment. Until recently,most manufacturers didn’t have to worry about parts information management and compliance. A recent study by Aberdeen Group revealed that less than one third of companies surveyed had standardized their product compliance practices across the organization.1 In addition,at the time of the report,80 percent of the surveyed organizations said that they lacked a cohesive systems infrastructure to track,audit or manage product compliance,while 75 percent admitted to not having audited product content in the previous six months.2
RoHS and WEEE aren’t the only environmental regulations with which companies are required to comply. In the EU,the End of Life Vehicles (ELV) directive requires car producers to limit their use of hazardous substances in the manufacture of their cars while also increasing the amount of recycled components used in their products. It also makes car manufacturers responsible for the recycling of their products once they are no longer being used. Additionally,in the United States,environmental regulations are pending in a number of states. In California,the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003,like RoHS and WEEE,seeks to establish a system for the reduction,collection and recycling of electronic product waste. The situation is similar in China,where the government has developed the Regulation for Pollution Control of Electronic Products (RPCEP). Unlike RoHS,however,RPCEP seeks to eliminate the six substances that the EU is trying to limit. Although legislation has not yet been enacted in Japan,the Japan Green Procurement Survey Standardization Initiative (JGPSSI) has collaborated with the Electronics Industry Alliance (EIA) to publish Joint Industry Guidelines for hazardous materials declaration.
As more countries continue to jump on the environmental bandwagon,it’s becoming increasingly important for component manufacturers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) alike to put in place the necessary infrastructure that allows them to track and manage parts data. Doing so will not only allow them to ensure compliance with RoHS,but will also help them comply with the host of other similar regulations they will undoubtedly be facing in the near future.
