RoHS stands for Restriction of Hazardous Substances, which is a product-level compliance regulation that restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. The directive originated in the European Union and requires electronics manufacturers to prove that their products are free of certain chemical substances. RoHS compliance means that a product has been tested for 10 banned substances by an independent authority, and that the tests confirmed levels of the substances below the RoHS threshold. The 10 substances restricted under RoHS 3, the latest version of the RoHS directive, are lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) . RoHS compliance is important because the restricted materials are hazardous to the environment and pollute landfills, and are dangerous in terms of occupational exposure during manufacturing and recycling.
Products that are RoHS compliant do not require any specific product labeling, but many manufacturers have adopted their own compliance marks to reduce confusion. RoHS compliance can be misleading because RoHS3 (EU) allows exemptions, for example, up to 85% lead content for high-temperature soldering alloys. Therefore, good companies should clearly define their level of compliance in their product main datasheets (DS); ideally, they should provide a product content sheet (PCS) with full substance declaration by mass.
RoHS certification is valid for five years, and it means that a product has been tested for the banned substances by an independent authority, and that the tests confirmed levels of the substances below the RoHS threshold. Companies must gather data from their supply chain to demonstrate compliance with the RoHS Directive, and they can acquire RoHS compliance certifications from their suppliers for parts used in the final product or equipment to reduce the burden of compliance.
