Summary; Extended producer responsibility to the end of life of electrical and electronic equipment according to European Union Summary Directive on waste electrical and electronic equipment
Scope
of this Directive applies to the following categories of electrical and electronic equipment (ie consumer electronics, lighting, IT, medical devices, toys)
similar to EU divided over HARL, LPEUR and Green Purchasing Law
Since 2000, various laws relating to waste management and recycling have been enacted or amended. These policy revisions can be categorized into four groups:
Different per state there is no federal legislation in effect at this time. Information on the EPA website
legislation will go in effect per January 1st, 2011. Although not as strict as the European legislation it is similar in spirit. Producers are encouraged to design for re-use and recycling, a licensing of recovery of processing recycling will be put in place. The nation will install a fund to pay for the cost. There will be a ban on importing e-waste. For more information see the China ROH website and the WEEE-decreed in english
Directive on the use of certain hazardous substances,
From 1 July 2006, lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in electrical and electronic equipment must be replaced by other substances. However, as it is not always possible to completely abandon these substances, the Commission provides for a tolerance level of 0.1% for lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and a tolerance level of 0.01% for cadmium. In addition, certain uses specified in the Annex to the Directive are tolerated.
Regulatory framework for the management of chemicals (REACH)
It will be compulsory to register in a central database chemicals which are manufactured or imported in quantities of one tonne or more per annum. The database will be managed by the European Chemicals Agency. If a substance is not registered it cannot be produced or placed on the European market. In effect from 1 June 2008, but there will be transitional arrangements until 1 June 2018. Some groups of substances (listed in the Regulation) are, however, exempt from the obligation to register, for instance: polymers; some substances for which the estimated risk is negligible (water, glucose, etc.); naturally occurring and chemically unaltered substances; substances used in research and development, under certain conditions.
Order No. 39: Final Measures for the Administration of the Pollution Control and Electronic Information Products(often referred to as China RoHS18) has the stated intent to establish similar restrictions, but in fact takes a very different approach. Unlike EU RoHS, where products in specified categories are included unless specifically excluded, there will be a list of included products, known as the catalogue — see Article 18 of the regulation — which will be a subset of the total scope of Electronic Information Products, or EIPs, to which the regulations apply. Initially, products that fall under the covered scope must provide markings and disclosure as to the presence of certain substances, while the substances themselves are not (yet) prohibited. There are some products that are EIPs, which are not in scope for EU RoHS, e.g. radar systems, semiconductor-manufacturing equipment, photomasks, etc. The list of EIPs is available in Chinese and English
does not have any direct legislation dealing with the RoHS substances, but its recycling laws have spurred Japanese manufacturers to move to a lead-free process in accordance with RoHS guidelines. A ministerial ordinance Japanese industrial standard for Marking Of Specific Chemical Substances effective from July 1, 2006, directs that some electronic products exceeding a specified amount of the nominated toxic substances must carry a warning label.
