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Compliance with the RoHS

What is RoHS?

RoHS is an environmental directive established in Europe and restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.
RoHS compliance is a condition for placing a product on the market in EU member states.
Generally called the RoHS Directive, it is short for the Directive on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment.

Since the first version of the RoHS Directive (hereinafter referred to as RoHS 1) was adopted in February 2003, the European Commission held many discussions on the directive and an amended version of the RoHS Directive (hereinafter referred to as RoHS 2) entered into force in July 2011.

Adopting the CE marking system, RoHS 2 requires manufacturers to attach the CE mark on products and to create and retain a Declaration of Conformity and technical documentation. In 2015, four substances were newly designated as restricted substances and now there are 10 restricted substances in all.

Adopted or Entered into Force Number of Restricted Substances Effective Date of Restriction for Substances
RoHS1
2002/95/EC		 Feb-03 6 Categories 1 to 7, 10: From July 1, 2006
RoHS2
2011/65/EU		 Jul-11 10 Categories 1 to 7, 10, 11: From July 22, 2019
Categories 8 and 9: From July 22, 2021

Covered Products

Although products of category 8 (medical devices) and category 9 (monitoring and control instruments including industrial monitoring and control instruments) were exempted from restriction in RoHS 1, they are no longer exempted in RoHS 2. Furthermore, a new category was added: category 11 “Other electrical and electronic equipment.”

RoHS specified products

Category Products
1. Large household appliances Large cooling appliances, refrigerators, washing machines, dish washers, cooking equipment, air conditioners, etc.
2. Small household appliances Vacuum cleaners, irons, toasters, hair dryers, electric toothbrushes, clocks, watches, scales, etc.
3. IT and telecommunications equipment Computers, personal computers, printers, copy machines, electrical calculators, phones, mobile phones, etc.
4. Consumer equipment Radios, televisions, video cameras, VTRs, audio equipment, amplifiers, musical instruments, etc.
5. Lighting equipment Fluorescent lamps, lamps including sodium-vapor lamps and halogen lamps, lighting control devices
6. Electrical and electronic tools Electric drills, sewing machines, welding machines, soldering tools, sprayers, etc.
7. Toys, leisure and sports equipment Electric trains, video games, computers for sports equipment, coin slot machines, etc.
8. Medical devices Medical devices Radiotherapy equipment, dialyzers, pulmonary ventilators, etc.
In vitro diagnostic medical devices Medical devices for in-vitro diagnosis
9. Monitoring and control instruments Monitoring and control instruments Smoke detectors, heating regulators, thermostats, etc.
Industrial monitoring and control instruments Monitoring and control instruments for industrial installations
10. Automatic dispensers Drink/food vending machines, cash dispensers, etc.
11. Other electrical and electronic equipment not covered by any of the categories above All other electrical and electronic equipment not covered by the above categories

Our products fall under the sub-category “Industrial monitoring and control instruments” of category 9 “Monitoring and control instruments.”

Maximum Allowable Content of the 10 Substances Regulated by the RoHS Directive:

Maximum Allowable Content

Cadmium (Cd) 100ppm
Mercury (Hg) 1000ppm
Lead (Pb) 1000ppm
Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) 1000ppm
Polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) 1000ppm
Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) 1000ppm
Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)*1 1000ppm
Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP)*1 1000ppm
Dibutyl phthalate (DBP)*1 1000ppm
Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP)*1 1000ppm
  • *1 Substances newly designated in the RoHS2 Directive. We plan to completely comply with the requirements for the newly designated substances by July 2020.