RoHS Certification

RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) compliance is a certification that demonstrates that a product or device meets the European Union’s RoHS directive, which limits the use of certain hazardous materials in electronic and electrical equipment. The RoHS directive specifically limits the use of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in electronic and electrical equipment. Obtaining a RoHS compliance certificate means that a product has been tested and verified to not contain any of the restricted substances above the specified limit and it is compliant with the RoHS directive.

Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)

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The RoHS regulations establish limits for certain harmful substances, including lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. In order to comply with these regulations, these substances must not be intentionally added to products and must not exceed certain maximum levels as trace substances. Specifically, the maximum allowable levels are 0.1% (1,000 ppm) for lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBB, and PBDE, and 0.01% (100 ppm) for cadmium. There are also exceptions for lead as an alloying element in certain types of copper, steel, and aluminum alloys, which are allowed up to 4.0% (40,000 ppm), 0.35% (3,500 ppm), and 0.40% (4,000 ppm) respectively.

Mandate to Obtain RoHS Certification

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RoHS Compliance Certification verifies that a specific piece of electric and electronic equipment has been evaluated for compliance with regulations regarding ten hazardous substances by a designated agency.

Prohibited substances include:

• Mercury
• Hexavalent Chromium
• Polybrominated biphenyls
• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers
• Cadmium
• Lead

Exemptions include:

• Radioactive Waste
• Products that do not require power to function
• Products used by small manufacturing and service companies
• Military and national defense equipment
• Sub-assemblies or components of exempt products
• Batteries

Products that fall under the exemptions category are not covered under RoHS directives.

Documents required

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A Bill of Materials, along with Specification/compliance certificates from all suppliers, Materials declarations, a Technical File, Test reports, and Assembly drawings are all required documents for the compliance certifications of certain equipment.

Additionally, the Technical File must also include:

• A general description of the product and information about its design structure.
• Notes on the materials, parts, and subassemblies used.
• An assessment of potential risks associated with the materials, segments, and subassemblies used.
• A record of the standards, specifications, and compliance procedures followed.
• Information related to the manufacturing process.

Procedure for Obtaining the RoHS Certification

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The process of obtaining RoHS certification and authorization is governed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. It includes:

• Verification via Testing: The first step is to test samples of the equipment using on-site or XRF testing, or through lab phthalate solvent extraction to determine the levels of restricted substances present.
• Process Audit: After testing, the related production processes are inspected to ensure compliance with RoHS regulations.
• Inspection & Certification: The technical files, material declarations, assembly drawings, test reports, and conformance/compliance certificates from all suppliers are reviewed before the RoHS certification is granted.

WEEE and RoHS

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The Restriction of Hazardous Substance (RoHS) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directives, while applicable to similar products, have different regulations and rules that vary by country. WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC focuses on the treatment, recovery, recycling, and management of electric and electronic equipment with the goal of designing more sustainable and environmentally friendly products. RoHS, on the other hand, regulates the use of hazardous substances in the production of electrical and electronic equipment.

RoHS is also a requirement under Extended Producers’ Responsibility. Before applying for EPR authorization with the Central Pollution Control Board, the applicant must submit a declaration of RoHS compliance as part of the EPR Action Plan. The applicant must also obtain a RoHS certificate before drafting the Extended Producers’ Responsibility Plan.

Companies in the electronic device, sub-assembly, and metal industries, such as metal plating, anodizing, and chromating, are more likely to be affected by RoHS certification.

The RoHS certificate is valid for five years. Re-certification is required if significant changes are made to the products’ raw materials, designs, or sourcing practices.

For RoHS implementation in industries, the manufacturer should follow these procedures:

• Conducting a risk assessment along the process chain
• Examining each step of the process
• Monitoring for improper operations
• Eliminating risk factors
• Examining the procedures
• Employee participation
• Assessing the system’s performance

Some basic principles of Restriction of Hazardous Substance:

• Packaging and batteries are separately regulated and do not fall within the scope of RoHS
• Equipment used for military and national defense purposes are excluded from this scope.
• Only specific applications qualify for exemptions, such as lead in some glasses or ceramic or metal alloys in specific electronic components.