element14 has introduced new resources on its informative legislation group page focused on helping manufacturers and design engineers better understand recent changes made in the Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive. New tools, including a free RoHS eBook, which addresses the recent recast changes, and live chat capabilities with global legislative expert Gary Nevison, are available via the collaborative online community to help demystify and expedite compliance.
“Current legislation such as RoHS can be complex and often difficult to understand, but scarce information about legislation can cause even greater frustration,” said Nevison, head of legislation and environmental affairs at element14.
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While RoHS was put into effect by the European Union (EU) on July 1, 2006, it impacts any electronics manufacturer who is conducting global business. The original directive restricted six substances in the manufacturing of certain categories of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), including IT equipment. The recast, agreed in September 2010, will eventually include category 11, which will include all EEE not captured in categories 1 to 10, unless specifically excluded. The recast also outlines the dates when medical devices and monitoring and control instruments (along with additional exemptions) will fall within scope.
A seasoned product and legislation expert at global electronics distributor Premier Farnell for more than 30 years, Nevison has spoken extensively at legislation and environmental seminars around the world, serves on the Electronic Component Supply Network, and writes popular legislation blogs and articles for major electronics industry publications.
Nevison adds, “The interactive legislation community page, in tandem with element14’s collaborative community of electronic engineers, underscores our commitment to providing as much data and resources possible in one easily accessible location to give engineers and other electronics professionals, the tools they need to succeed.”
For more information about the RoHS Recast Directive, visit element14’s legislation community page.
