The RoHS Directive, or Restriction of Hazardous Substances, which restricts the use of several hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, took effect in the European Union on July 1. Businesses that sell affected electronic products directly to EU countries, or sell to resellers or distributors who sell products to EU countries, are impacted if they use any of the restricted materials.
RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC bans new electrical and electronic equipment containing more than the agreed levels of six toxins including lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants. All applicable products in the EU market after July 1, 2006 must pass RoHS compliance.
The RoHS Directive applies to the same product categories as does the WEEE Directive, according to Vincent van Dijk, secretary general of the European Toner & Inkjet Remanufacturers Association (ETIRA). EITRA and other interested parties fought but were unsuccessful in 2003 to have printer cartridges included under WEEE.
“This is why the applicability of the RoHS Directive did not worsen an already difficult situation,” van Dijk said. “With or without legal obligation, our industry constantly strives to reduce the harmful substances and content in our products. This represents a constant challenge, and we do expect to be successful in the long run.”
While printer cartridges are not included in RoHS, several U.S.-based worldwide suppliers of printer chips have announced their compliance or plans for compliance with the Directive.
