Consultants for the EU Commission have launched a public consultation on the remaining EU RoHS exemption renewal requests (the grouping is referred to as Pack 9). The consultation, involving 29 Annex III exemptions, started on August 21, 2015 and will close on October 16, 2015. The list of exemptions covered by the consultation is shown in Table 1.
Table 1: RoHS Exemptions included in the Pack 9 Consultation
| Exemption Number | Exemption Description |
|---|---|
| Exemption 1(a-e) | "Mercury in single capped (compact) fluorescent lamps not exceeding (per burner)": (a) For general lighting purposes < 30 W: 5 mg (b) For general lighting purposes ≥ 30 W and < 50 W: 5 mg (c) For general lighting purposes ≥ 50 W and < 150 W: 5 mg (d) For general lighting purposes ≥ 150 W: 15 mg (e) For general lighting purposes with circular or square structural shape and tube diameter ≤ 17 mm |
| Exemption 1(f) | "Mercury in single capped (compact) fluorescent lamps not exceeding (per burner): (f) For special purposes: 5 mg" |
| Exemption 2(a)(1-5) | "Mercury in double-capped linear fluorescent lamps for general lighting purposes not exceeding (per lamp): (1) Tri-band phosphor with normal lifetime and a tube diameter < 9 mm (e.g. T2): 5 mg (2) Tri-band phosphor with normal lifetime and a tube diameter ≥ 9 mm and ≤ 17 mm (e.g. T5): 5 mg (3) Tri-band phosphor with normal lifetime and a tube diameter > 17 mm and ≤ 28 mm (e.g. T8): 5 mg (4) Tri-band phosphor with normal lifetime and a tube diameter > 28 mm (e.g. T12): 5 mg (5) Tri-band phosphor with long lifetime (≥ 25 000 h): 8 mg" |
| Exemption 2(b)(3) | "Mercury in other fluorescent lamps not exceeding (per lamp): (3) Non-linear tri-band phosphor lamps with tube diameter > 15 mm (e.g. T9) " |
| Exemption 2(b)(4) | "Mercury in other fluorescent lamps not exceeding (per lamp): (4) Lamps for other general lighting and special purposes (e.g. induction lamps): 15 mg per lamp " |
| Exemption 3(a-c) | "Mercury in cold cathode fluorescent lamps and external electrode fluorescent lamps (CCFL and EEFL) for special purposes not exceeding (per lamp): (a) Short length (≤ 500 mm): 3.5 mg per lamp (b) Medium length (> 500 mm and ≤ 1 500 mm): 5 mg per lamp (c) Long length (> 1 500 mm): 13 mg per lamp" |
| Exemption 4(a) | "Mercury in other low pressure discharge lamps (per lamp): 15 mg per lamp" |
| Exemption 4(b)(I-III) | "Mercury in High Pressure Sodium (vapour) lamps for general lighting purposes not exceeding (per burner) in lamps with improved colour rendering index Ra > 60: I) P ≤ 155 W: 30 mg per burner II) 155 W < P ≤ 405 W: 40 mg per burner III) P > 405 W: 40 mg per burner" |
| Exemption 4(c)(I-III) | "Mercury in other High Pressure Sodium (vapour) lamps for general lighting purposes not exceeding (per burner): I) P ≤ 155 W: 25 mg per burner II) 155 W < P ≤ 405 W: 30 mg per burner II) 155 W < P ≤ 405 W: 30 mg per burner III) P > 405 W: 40 mg per burner" |
| Exemption 4(e) | "Mercury in metal halide lamps (MH)" |
| Exemption 4(f) | "Mercury in other discharge lamps for special purposes not specifically mentioned in this Annex" |
| Exemption 5(b) | "Lead in glass of fluorescent tubes not exceeding 0,2 % by weight" |
| Exemption 6(a) | "Lead as an alloying element in steel for machining purposes and in galvanised steel containing up to 0,35 % lead by weight" |
| Exemption 6(b) | "Lead as an alloying element in aluminium containing up to 0,4 % lead by weight" |
| Exemption 6(c) | "Copper alloy containing up to 4 % lead by weight" |
| Exemption 7(a) | "Lead in high melting temperature type solders (i.e. lead- based alloys containing 85 % by weight or more lead)" |
| Exemption 7(c)-I | "Electrical and electronic components containing lead in a glass or ceramic other than dielectric ceramic in capacitors, e.g. piezoelectronic devices, or in a glass or ceramic matrix compound" |
| Exemption 7(c)-II | "Lead in dielectric ceramic in capacitors for a rated voltage of 125 V AC or 250 V DC or higher" |
| Exemption 7(c)-IV | "Lead in PZT based dielectric ceramic materials for capacitors which are part of integrated circuits or discrete semiconductors" |
| Exemption 8(b) | "Cadmium and its compounds in electrical contacts" |
| Exemption 9 | "Hexavalent chromium as an anticorrosion agent of the carbon steel cooling system in absorption refrigerators up to 0,75 % by weight in the cooling solution" |
| Exemption 15 | "Lead in solders to complete a viable electrical connection between semiconductor die and carrier within integrated circuit flip chip packages" |
| Exemption 18(b) | "Lead as activator in the fluorescent powder (1 % lead by weight or less) of discharge lamps when used as sun tanning lamps containing phosphors such as BSP (BaSi 2 O 5 :Pb)" |
| Exemption 21 | "Lead and cadmium in printing inks for the application of enamels on glasses, such as borosilicate and soda lime glasses" |
| Exemption 24 | "Lead in solders for the soldering to machined through hole discoidal and planar array ceramic multilayer capacitors" |
| Exemption 29 | "Lead bound in crystal glass as defined in Annex I (Categories 1, 2, 3 and 4) of Council Directive 69/493/EEC ( 1 )" |
| Exemption 32 | "Lead oxide in seal frit used for making window assemblies for Argon and Krypton laser tubes" |
| Exemption 34 | "Lead in cermet-based trimmer potentiometer elements" |
| Exemption 37 | "Lead in the plating layer of high voltage diodes on the basis of a zinc borate glass body" |
Generally all complex electronics use several of the RoHS exemptios in their components or directly in manufacturing operations. Contact ECD Compliance for services to keep you up to date on the impact to your products and markets.