04 June 2010
EU seeks to limit use of hazardous substances in electronics
Members of the European Parliament's Environment Committee have called for a review of the safety of some chemicals used by the electronics industry.
The Committee members highlighted their concerns over use of pvc used as an insulator and brominated flame retardents (BFRs) used in electronics products to reduce the risk of fire.
The primary concerns were the risks the substances can pose to people's health or the environment, both during manufacture and when they are disposed of.
While not calling for an outright ban, the Committee voted to look into reworking elements of its RoHS directive to include compounds not previously covered by the legislation. MEPs discussed the ability of EU law to have an impact on their use in Europe and internationally.
If imposed, the ban on pvc and certain flame retardants could be more effective than existing elements of RoHS, according to the Environment Committee. "MEPs voted in favour of an 'open scope', meaning that all electrical and electronic material would be covered by the legislation, unless specifically excluded," a report on the meeting stated. "This is designed to achieve greater legal clarity than is afforded by the current rules, which take the opposite approach."
Some uses of the compounds will be permitted, such as in renewable energy generation and military applications.
The Committee's recommendations will be put to the vote in the European Parliament in July.
Author
Chris Shaw
Supporting Information
Websites
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/comparl/envi/default_en.ht
http://www.rohs.gov.uk/
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