Changes to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) mandatory reporting regulation.  The Canadian province of Quebec has proposed amendments to it’s “Regulation Respecting Mandatory Reporting of Certain Emissions of Contaminants into the Atmosphere” regulation to lower the mandatory reporting threshold to 10,000 metric tonnes of CO2e and to align reporting requirements with the Western Climate Initiative (WCI).

Substances added to CEPA Schedule 1.  Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 is amended by adding five substances and a group of substances to Schedule 1 (List of Toxic Substances) . The substances include Methyloxirane, Ethyloxirane, Naphthalene, Toluene diisocyanates, 1,2-Benzenediol, and 1,4-Benzenediol.

Canadian Lawmakers Pass Climate Change Act.  Canada’s House of Commons passed the Climate Change Accountability Act. The legislation will require that greenhouse gas emissions be reduced by 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020

The EU Parliament vote on RoHS-2 has been delayed due to the large number (339) of amendments proposed by Members of European Parliament (MEPs). Several key issues relate to inclusion of additional substance restrictions and opening the product scope to nearly all electrical and electronic equipment.

The European Union Commission has published the report that they commissioned to assess and provide recommendations on the EU RoHS exemptions.  The report written by the Öko-Institute and Fraunhofer IZM  recommends that six of the active exemptions be withdrawn in the near term and has proposed tightened wording and timelines for other RoHS exemptions.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) proposed a list of seven (7) priority SVHC substances that they are suggesting for initial inclusion in Annex XIV of the REACH regulation. After a pre-determined time period a manufacturer or importer will need to obtain authorization from ECHA to continue selling the product with these substance. ECHA is currently asking for input from stakeholders on the list of substances and potential exemptions to authorization.  The prioritised substances are:

• 5-tert-butyl-2,4,6-trinitro-m-xylene (musk xylene)
• Alkanes,C10-13,chloro (short chain chlorinated paraffins; SCCPs)
• Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) and all major diastereoisomers identified
• 4,4’-Diamino diphenyl methane (MDA)
• Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
• Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) and
• Dibutyl phthalate (DBP)

The EU Commission has released proposals to update the RoHS and WEEE Directives. The new RoHS proposal:Includes Medical Equipment and Monitoring and Control Instruments within the scope of RoHS

• Brings RoHS compliance under the CE mark
• Establishes requirements for Conformity assessment, and market surveillance,
• Improves the process for requesting exemptions but establishes a time limit of four years.
• Separates the scope of the RoHS Directive from the WEEE Directive
• Establishes definitions for several key terms, including homogeneous material and fixed installation

The key changes proposed for the WEEE Directive are clarification of scope and definitions, more ambitious, but flexible recovery and recycling targets, strengthened enforcement, and some level of harmonization to registration and reporting systems.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published the official SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern) candidate list on its web site consisting of 15 substances.  The publication of the candidate list imposes immediate communication requirements on manufacturers and importers of products, preparations, and substances.>

Korea RoHS comes into effect for certain types of electrical and electronic products.

The fourth meeting of the EuP Consultation forum is held to consider Implementing Measures for external power supplies simple set top boxes. Power efficiency standards for no-load and load conditions will become mandatory under the “CE” mark to place products on the EU market.