European Regulations
While Europe has relatively relaxed rules on
air emissions, three major EU environmental rules on
materials have a significant effect on what can go into or
onto your products: the directives on ELV (end-of-life
vehicles), WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment)
and RoHS (restriction of hazardous substances).
ELV
– The first of the
three major EU environmental directives, effective since
1993, the ELV rule restricts the use of lead, mercury,
cadmium and Cr6+ on new vehicles.
WEEE
– WEEE applies to new electrical and electronic
equipment. The WEEE directive is a broad set of regulations
that, like the ELV mandate, is designed to keep toxic
pollutants out of the waste stream.
RoHS
– The far-reaching
RoHS rule places strict limits on the use of lead, mercury,
cadmium, Cr6+ and two brominated fire retardants
in a wide range of electrical and electronic products.
The
purpose of the ELV and RoHS directives is to eliminate the
hazardous material that discarded vehicles and electrical
and electronic waste now contains, while WEEE rules govern
how much waste equipment can enter landfills and
incinerators.
REACH -
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