During a presentation to the Canadian IT industry, representatives of Environment Canada stated that they preparing a regulation to restrict the manufacturing and import of products containing polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs).

The European Union formally added six SVHC substances to Annex XIV of the regulation. The substances include the three phthalates (DEHP, BBP, and DBP), HBCDD, MDA, and musk xylene. The phthalates have been particularly heavily used in the electronics industry and is driving significant redesign efforts. Addition of these substances to Annex XIV is the final step in the SVHC process to drive elimination of the use of these substances in Europe.

Environment Canada has officially proposed a regulation that would restrict mercury, mercury compounds, and other substances in products. The “Regulations Respecting Products Containing Certain Substances Listed in Schedule 1 to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999” is proposed to come into effect in 2012 and would initially impose restrictions, labeling requirements, reporting requirements and end-of-life management requirements on products containing mercury and mercury compounds. The proposal is a framework regulation that would allow additional substances to be restricted.

The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) has official added 8 substances to the SVHC candidate list, imposing immediate obligations on industry to declare these substances (as per REACH article 33). The substances include: Cobalt(II) sulphate, Cobalt(II) dinitrate, Cobalt(II) carbonate, Cobalt(II) diacetate, 2-Methoxyethanol, 2-Ethoxyethanol, Chromium trioxide, and Chromic acid, Oligomers of chromic acid and dichromic acid, Dichromic acid.

The Chinese government has submitted an updated RoHS (RoHS-2) regulation to the WTO/TBT (Technical Barriers to Trade) committee. The revised regulations would extend the scope of the regulation from “electronic information product” to “electrical and electronic product”. The wording for third party certification is modified slightly to “the electrical and electronic products listed in the Management Catalogue will be subject to certification according to the national certification system for the control of pollution caused by electrical and electronic product”.

NRCAN proposes date change for standby and external power supply (EPS) regulations. For Standby requirements related to Compact Audio products, Television and Video products, the effective date of manufacture, verification mark and reporting will be delayed to May 1, 2011. For EPS, the effective date of manufacture remains at July 1, 2010; however, verification mark (or performance certification if using Roman Numeral mark) and reporting will be delayed to May 1, 2011.

The EU Commission has published its decision to revise the RoHS exemptions. Many of the exemptions were rewritten and/or partitioned to phase out applications that no longer require the use of restricted substances. Several electronic components that were previously RoHS compliant by exemption will become non-compliant and will need to be replaced in RoHS compliant products.

Environment Canada has added Bisphenol-A (BPA) to its list of Toxic Substance (Schedule 1 of CEPA, 1999). BPA is the monomer used for the production of Polycarbonate plastic. The addition of BPA to Schedule 1 allows the Canadian Government to implement restrictions or other measures to manage the substance.