The European Commission moved forward with its update of the List of Restricted Substances in the RoHS Directive, Annex II. The Commission has notified the World Trade Organization that the four phthalate substances will be added to the RoHS substance restrictions. The restrictions take effect beginning in July 22, 2019 for all EEE except category 8 (medical devices) and category 9 (monitoring and control instruments) which will have an additional 2 years and need to comply by July 22, 2021. This provides most EEE manufacturers and the global supply chain with four and a half years to prepare.
Four Phthalate Substances to be Added to RoHS Directive
| Substance Name | CAS Number | Maximum Concentration in homogeneous material |
|---|---|---|
| Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) | 117-81-7 | 0.1% |
| Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) | 85-68-7 | 0.1% |
| Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) | 84-74-2 | 0.1% |
| Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) | 84-69-5 | 0.1% |
The maximum concentration value for the phthalates will be 0.1% w/w in homogeneous material.
The four phthalates are already listed on the REACH SVHC Candidate List — this gives manufacturers that have REACH SVHC information from their suppliers a head start in assessing the parts and materials that require substitution. However, the different basis for calculating concentration level between REACH and RoHS (article vs. homogeneous material) will undoubtedly create some surprises.
Additional information on RoHS 2 compliance and RoHS 2 Technical Documentation is available. ECD Compliance provides services to assess your product requirements for compliance to environmental regulations and to implement compliance procedures.
The notified Directive is available on the WTO website.