...Dow Corning's ongoing initiative to produce environmentally friendly, silicon-based materials for electronics manufacturers in China has enabled one Chinese company to meet looming environmental laws, such as the EU's RoHS, WEEE, and China's RoHS initiative.... more...

...Early analysis of the proposals for implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronics Directive suggest that local authorities and the reuse sector seem set to benefit from the way the government wants the system to operate, writes Steve Eminton.... more...

...As of Friday, Germans could no longer just throw their old phones, computers or coffee makers in the trashcan out back. A new recycling system for electronics has been kicked off and manufacturers are getting the bill.... more...

...Legislation authored by Assembly Member Lori Saldana (D-San Diego) that aims at phasing out the use of hazardous materials in nearly all electronic devices sold in California was passed by the Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee Tuesday.... more...

...Agile Software Corp. and Papros Inc. have introduced programs to help OEMs, EMS providers and component suppliers cope with environmental compliance.... more...

...Connector manufacturers say the upcoming European ban on the use of lead and five other substances in electronics could create supply problems for connectors later in the year. There could be problems because the rate at which customers will transition their products over to versions that comply with the Restriction on the use of RoHS directive in unknown... more...

...LONDON -- The U.K. Department of Trade and Industry has completed its implementation review of the WEEE directive and is now holding informal discussions with companies on "whether the implementation proposals will deliver the objectives and obligations set by the directive in an effective and efficient way.'... more...

...5th round of stakeholder consultations has been launched, closing 10th May 2006.... more...

...Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), the EU directive that is changing the electronics industry, is becoming more stringent as it is transposed into Chinese law. "Administrative Measure on the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products" is more inclusive, requires product marking, and will ultimately require certification. In short, it is very different than EU RoHS, requiring a reassessment of company exposure and readiness.... more...

...Adding to its recent RoHS/WEEE compliance technologies, EMA Design Automation integrated Omnify software, a data management system, into its engineering data management (EDM) solution.... more...

...EMS supplier Solectron Corp. said today that its Charlotte, N.C., site is the first manufacturing site of a tier 1 EMS supplier to gain IPC's RoHS certification.... more...

...The U.K. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has released the conclusions of its implementation review on the WEEE directive dealing with recycling electrical waste, which essentially lays out how the law will be actually carried out in the U.K.... more...

...The government's proposals for organising producer responsibility for waste electronics include a central exchange system to share out processing costs among producers. But, producers or their compliance schemes will be left to arrange their own collections of waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) to meet the terms of Europe's WEEE Directive.... more...

...Rochester, N.Y.-based EDA tool distributor EMA Design Automation said today it has made the adherence to RoHS/WEEE compliance directives easier by integrating software from Omnify into its EMA engineering data management (EDM) environment.... more...

...A recent news item about RoHS legislation illustrates the remarkable depths of absurdity that the best of intentions can sink to.... more...

...Workshop offered by SMTA, Technology Forecasters Inc., and Goodbye Chain give electronics producers design strategies for toxin reduction (RoHS), increased reuse/recyclability (WEEE), and energy efficiency (EuP)... more...

...Honda, Volvo and BMW explain their strategies.... more...

...In the article China to postpone RoHS legislation we said that the Chinese Ministry of Information Industry (MII) would clarify the scope of what is now the "China RoHS" law. They have now done that, and it is something to behold.... more...

...Design Chain Associates, LLC, the leading electronics industry RoHS/WEEE services firm, announces that the only website dedicated to China’s new law entitled "Administration on the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products," otherwise known as "China RoHS," is now live and active.... more...

...The Department of Trade and Industry has reported back on its review of how producer responsibility for electronics might be introduced in the UK.... more...

...A low-toxicity Lead Eliminator from JNJ Industries combines chelating agents and other ingredients to remove traces of lead and other heavy metals from work surfaces.... more...

...A new service is designed to help electronics OEMs ensure their ability to continue to develop and produce RoHS-compliant products.... more...

...The European Commission (EC) is to carry out a number of reviews on the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive by 2008, CRN has learned. One review will look at the collection and re-use targets, and one will look at the simplification of the legislation.... more...

...Our friend misses the main point of RoHS as did I and others. The main purpose of RoHS is to make recycling, easier, cheaper and safer. With WEEE, recycling will sky rocket. The EU wants recycling to be a safe and easy task. Although it is possible to safely recycle lead, Hg, Cd, etc. it is not cheap and requires special facilities. So RoHS enables easier WEEE recycling.... more...

...Few EU directives have caused more upset in recent times than the one said to threaten the survival of tens of thousands of organs, in cathedrals, churches and concert halls throughout Europe. The suggestion that this law might, in a way it was never intended to, do away with these magnificent musical instruments, which have been at the heart of European culture for centuries, has understandably sent a shock wave across the world.... more...

...Enfucell Ltd., a startup founded in June 2002 as a spin-off from the Automation Laboratory of Helsinki University of Technology, has gathered 600,000 euros (about $715,000) in funding for the research, development and commercialization of thin flexible paper battery technology.... more...

...Compare our trek to the pending July 1, 2006 European Union Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) deadline to the route of a 10k race. Over the past few years, RoHS has added to an already tumultuous landscape in the electronics industry with some roadblocks and debris, and in some unexpected places.... more...

...Design Chain Associates have highlighted a babelfish English translation of the new China RoHS scope. In the first of several new documents to be issued from the Chinese government in March, this is a list of products that will be covered by the new China RoHS regulations, to become law in January 2007.... more...

...Genesis Electronics Manufacturing, Inc. ("GEM") announced today that it is now accepting factory orders to provide lead free & RoHS compliant electronic manufacturing services to OEM customers. "The RoHS (Restriction of Certain Hazardous Substances) initiative which originally solely focused on electronic products shipped to the European Union, now has some applications in the United States," said Scott Mauldin, President, "California, Illinois, & Maine are among some of the states that have implemented legislation with RoHS like requirements, and still other state and federal legislation is pending.... more...

...Integrating short-term regulatory efforts with long-term environmental programs promise greater efficiency to compliance as the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directives face the electronic and high-tech industries in the European Union (EU), according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) analyst organization.... more...

...Today there are 100 days to go until the RoHS directive goes into effect. The European environmental laws, the RoHS directives, will- and already have effected the major parts of the electronics industry. Are you ready?... more...

...Europe's electronic waste and hazardous substances legislation "is failing before it begins", according to environmental consultant eco3. The UK firm said the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive are being impemented in widely differing ways across Europe, leading to confusion and inequality.... more...

...E-Certa announces the first licensing agreement from New Way Technologies and Licensing Inc., for their (International Patent Pending) process to perform a total RoHS compliant conversion from lead to no lead (along with all other restricted material) for IC's and Semiconductors.... more...

...Corning Inc. said it has developed the industry's first liquid crystal display (LCD) glass substrate without heavy metals. The green substrate eliminates arsenic, antimony, barium and halides.... more...

...Electronic Systems Inc. recently shared lessons learned from its RoHS compliant processes at a workshop for executives and engineers. About 70 persons from two dozen electronics companies attended the in Bloomington, MN, seminar to hear the EMS company, which has RoHS compliant products in production and pilot stages, describe everything from solder materials and profiles to supply chain management.... more...

...Techspray's LeadCheck (2515-N) swabs test components and solder joints for leaded solder in both existing and incoming inventories. The company's Lead-free/RoHS Guide covers issues related to defluxers, wicks, masks, soldering tips, and solder pots.... more...

...Geoffrey Bock of TUV Rheinland of North America discussed the sometimes complex topic of WEEE/RoHS compliance Tuesday morning at National Manufacturing Week in Rosemont, IL.... more...

...EMA Design Automation(TM), a full-service provider of Electronic Design Automation (EDA) solutions, and Ageus Solutions, a leader in RoHS and WEEE compliance, have joined forces to provide environmental compliance solutions from design through manufacturing. "We're strengthening the overall solution delivered to the client by adding the ability to supply the mechanical portion of RoHS/WEEE compliance," said Manny Marcano, President and CEO of EMA. "Aligning forces with Ageus allows us to expand our Engineering Data Management (EDM) solution to cover the entire manufactured product, which supports the entire RoHS/WEEE directive."... more...

...Though the European Union's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive will likely drive up costs for most companies, taking apart a product to assess its appeal to a recycler is a useful task to reduce those end-of-life costs. "It's not thought of as a due diligence exercise for designers," said Pam Gordon, president of Technology Forecasters, Inc. (Alameda, Calif.), which has hosted product disassembly workshops. "But product disassembly will become part of the design tools commonly used in electronics and electrical industries."... more...

...NEPCON/EMT China, to take place April 4-7, 2006, in Shanghai, is an SMT-focused event that offers networking opportunities and the latest information on the newest products. Held annually, this year's show will target the lead-free transition since the looming July 1, 2006 deadline is right around the corner, giving attendees plenty of options in implementing lead-free in time.... more...

...Producers of electronic equipment have warned that unless consumers are charged a standard fee for the recycling of old electronics, small retailers will suffer.... more...

...Design Chain Associates, LLC, the leading electronics industry RoHS/WEEE services firm, announces a service designed to help Electronics OEMs ensure their ability to continue to develop and produce RoHS-compliant products.... more...

...In a move that reflects its leadership in green manufacturing, Dow Corning Corporation today disclosed details of its ongoing initiative to develop environmentally friendly silicon- based materials for China's electronics manufacturers. The company has successfully enabled one of China's leading power electronics module companies to stay ahead of pending environmental laws affecting the global electronics industry.... more...

...There are a number of reasons why the IT industry must adopt a more environmentally friendly stance. Uppermost among them is the fact the laws in many countries will soon, if they do not already, dictate that it must.... more...

...The shops involved include two large chains, Power City and Harvey Norman. The shops wrongly placed additional recycling charges on items mistakenly thought to fall under recent legislation.... more...

...Workshops provide an overview of the systematic approach for compliance, as well as information, tools and recommended resources to develop and execute a plan for WEEE and RoHS compliance.... more...

...Producers of electronic equipment have warned that unless consumers are charged a standard fee for the recycling of old electronics, small retailers will suffer.... more...

...Strict adherence to Europe's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive threatens to silence some of the world’s greatest and most-cherished pipe organs. As instruments such as those in the Britain's St. Paul’s Cathedral (London), Salisbury Cathedral and St. Albans Abbey come up for refurbishment, they could fall foul of the directives, which are aimed at limiting the amount of lead in electrical items.... more...

...One the most important questions customers are asking distributors and that distributors are asking suppliers is, "how ready is the supply chain for the introduction of the RoHS directive in July?"... more...

...Ageus Solutions, a leader in RoHS, WEEE and Japan Green solutions, announces the milestone achievement in capturing the Japan Green compliance marketplace with the signing of its 15th Japan Green Services client.... more...

...My questions are centered around RoHS judgments. That is, how I can judge whether a contract manufacturer is RoHS compliant or not? Does a manufacturer need to have a certificate, like a UL certificate.... more...

...When one looks at an integrated circuit (IC), it's hard to think of it as an environmental threat, but more than 100 billion ICs manufactured by thousands of companies each year have played a pivotal role in the growing recognition of the dangers of heavy metals, particularly lead (Pb), in the environment. While individually these ICs contribute a very small amount to our growing toxic waste problem, the aggregate number of chips and the systems they go into present a concern.... more...

...Indium Corporation’s Senior Technologist, Dr. Ronald C. Lasky, Ph.D., will be presenting another in a series of SMTA workshops called "Rapid Implementation of RoHS Compliant Assembly". This event will be held on March 23, 2006 at the Oak Pointe Country Club in Brighton, MI, USA.... more...

...Low level circuit resistance (LLCR) testing, per the EIA 364-23A/IEC 6501 2-2-1 specification, was used in this study as a reliability indicator for electrical stability to check if the solder joints were degraded by various accelerated testing conditions.... more...

...Third party certification helped bring standardization and market growth to the organic food industry. I believe the electronics industry can use this model in the same way to standardize RoHS compliance activities. One result will be testing at the appropriate level. That level is the homogeneous material, as close to its raw form as possible. Here's how it would work.... more...

...E-Certa (Environmentally Certified Electronic Resale Trade Alliance), comprised of a five-company consortium, has launched a series of environmental solutions that include component conversion, testing, recycling and sourcing services to help companies comply with the European Union's RoHS and WEEE directives.... more...

...In recent years, as environmentalism has become a watchword for the socially responsible, politically aware and regulation wary, many vendors have made bold claims about what they are doing to operate in a 'green' manner. silicon.com visited Ricoh's Midlands Green Centre to find out what the Japanese giant is doing to meet its own eco-agenda.... more...

...Organisations facing up to the issue of stricter environmental legislation and guidelines have been warned not to undermine their business in a rushed attempt to 'go green'. Analyst house Gartner has produced a report warning businesses of the risks of entering into processes which can prove costly and difficult to manage. Risks include the disposal of machines which contain sensitive information.... more...

...European environmental directives take effect soon, leaving many US companies struggling to overcome the challenges of implementing compliant designs.... more...

...Switch manufacturers and analysts agree that the European Union's Restriction on the Use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) is a big issue for the switch industry. Most switch manufacturers have already dealt with hazardous materials in plastics, although they still have to ensure that the plastics meet the higher temperature profiles of lead-free processing.... more...

...Agile Product Governance and Compliance Supports IPC-1752 Materials Declaration Management Standard to Ease Environmental Compliance Across the Extended Supply Network... more...

...For many years, one of the most important challenges for electronic production has been error minimizing and at the same time process quality improvement. The repair of single modules is nevertheless necessary to eliminate errors. A uniform high, consistent quality standard can only be achieved if this process as well as the standard process chain is mastered.... more...

...With the deadline looming, Triangle Circuits is offering a free phone consultation with OEMs and EMS companies trying to get a handle on the requirements for Lead-free products. "We've seen a substantial increase in the number of calls from our customers over the last few months," said Bob Nahrwold, Vice President and General Manager. "They are all basically asking the same questions about materials and design issues for their PCBs.... more...

...The IPC 175X standard for material content data exchange was released on 9 March 2006. This free standard makes possible uniform RoHS and JIG material content declarations. The PDF forms support six different levels of declaration.... more...

...Two Wisconsin companies have joined an Environmental Protection Agency program aimed at reducing the use of 31 toxic substances in manufacturing. Modine Manufacturing Co. of Racine and Johnson Controls Inc. of Milwaukee are the first two Wisconsin companies in the EPA's nationwide program that targets 81 manufacturing plants.... more...

...Proposal for 23 New Exemptions under Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment... more...

...Under the EC Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, which was implemented in Germany as the ElektroG Act, producers of business electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) in Germany must provide collection and recycling of WEEE arising from new product sales from 23 March 2006.... more...

...The Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) Inc., in conjunction with the Centre of Microelectronics Assembly and Packaging (CMAP), will hold a major international conference on lead-free conference in Ontario May 16-18, 2006.... more...

...Manufacturers looking to avoid making their products lead-free come July are hoping the exemptions list may provide a lifeline. But, as Steve Rogerson reports, this is a dangerous path, full of confusion.... more...

...A successful project in Ireland has shown how a holistic approach to dealing with waste from the IT sector can not only meet WEEE objectives but surpass them. Speaking at the Irish Water, Waste & Environment/Irish Recycling Waste & Management exhibitons last week, Jose Ospina, project manager of the Dublin-based Heatsun initiative explained how his team had taken a wider look at waste.... more...

...California should take the lead in establishing a comprehensive policy for chemical production and use or face a growing set of health and environmental problems and risk being left behind by the global economy, according to a new report by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.... more...

...A simple guide aims to assist electronic component buyers to identify lead free components from major manufacturers.... more...

...LeadCheck(R) swabs (2515-N) provide non-destructive method of testing PCB components and solder joints for presence of lead, helping manufacturers and assemblers maintain RoHS compliance.... more...

...RS Components is one of the first UK companies to gain the new BSI 'RoHS trusted' Kitemark, and its use of Fischer Instrumentation's XAN spectrometer has played a big part.... more...

...The DTI looks likely to issue discussion papers soon to shed light on several key, unresolved areas within new producer responsibility regulations for waste electronics.... more...

...In response to the up and coming EU RoHS legislation, the GSPK Group of companies has taken the initiative to develop a RoHS calendar guide to assist their customers.... more...

...SMTA is sponsoring a mini-conference on "due diligence" for RoHS compliance. This April 18 event is being lead by Harvey Stone of the Goodbye Supply Chain.... more...

...It's easy to think [RoHS] won't affect your operations if your company doesn't sell into the EU; if your product is currently exempt; or if, as some companies that sell minimally into the EU might be tempted, you would rather pull out and focus on other markets than expend the energy and costs it takes to achieve RoHS compliance.... more...

...Electronic Systems, Inc. hosted a seminar recently at the Minneapolis Airport Marriot in Bloomington, MN for a group of industry executives and engineers. The seminar was meant to be a jump start for those who've not yet committed to a RoHS compliant strategy. It was also a late-in-the-day reality check for those who need to meet the European date of July 1, 2006.... more...

...The IPC 175X standard for material content data exchange was released on 9 March 2006. This free standard makes possible uniform RoHS and JIG material content declarations. The PDF forms support six different levels of declaration. Anyone may download the free, 3.62 MB Zip file from the IPC website.... more...

...Five new RoHS exemtions are likely to be adopted within the nearest future.... more...

...Newark InOne's new packing slip is designed to help customers track and segregate RoHS-compliant parts within their company's inventory systems. The packing slip indicates the RoHS status of each part, as well as the manufacturer part number, manufacturer name, country of origin, and English description.... more...

...Not all component suppliers are equally trustworthy, so electronic product manufacturers - and at least one distributor - have taken to testing components to make sure they comply with RoHS. Now companies are discovering that not all testing methods are equal.... more...

...Environ's has developed a web-based approach that provides the B2B producer with flexibility and control of future WEEE recycling arrangements.... more...

...Batteries are the next environmental offender locked in the sights of the European Union. Though the matter is still under spirited discussion within the EU, industry sources said they expect the European body to finalize a battery directive this summer. Member states will then have two years to implement it.... more...

...German householders will be able to take back waste electronic and electronic equipment to local collection points free of charge from March 24. The German government has said it is now ready for producer responsibility to start this month, bringing into force the terms of Europe's WEEE Directive.... more...

...IPC 1752 is THE Standard for the exchange of materials declaration data. Developed by a group of OEMs, EMS providers, component manufacturers, circuit board manufacturers, materials suppliers, information technology solution providers, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. FREE DOWNLOAD... more...

...With less than four months to go before the July 1, 2006 deadline for RoHS compliance, Asia’s ability to meet the directive’s demands is still largely unknown. RoHS affects a mammoth number of companies across Asia. In Taiwan alone, the Ministry of Economic Affairs estimates RoHS will affect 35,000 export-oriented companies.... more...

...Orgalime, Europe's engineering industry association, has published a practical guide to RoHS and WEEE implementation.... more...

...During this workshop led by Harvey Stone of The GoodBye Chain Group, April 18 at the Radisson Hotel Milwaukee Airport in Milwaukee, WI, he will present the most up-to-date due diligence definitions, actual case studies of what companies are doing, and a host of recommended steps. In addition, time is set aside to have questions answered and activities critiqued.... more...

...Enabling the transition to lead-free production, innovative stencil design features, improved squeegee blade technology and added component protection have been announced by stencil specialist, Tecan.... more...

...A key European Union environmental-waste regulation comes into force in four months. For late starters, there's still time to accelerate RoHS compliance. Here's how.... more...

...For their presentation of the paper 'Impact of lead contamination on reliability of lead-free alloys', Christopher Hunt, PhD, and Martin Wickham, from the National Physical Laboratory, have been awarded the Best International Conference Paper at IPC Printed Circuits Expo, APEX and the Designers Summit 2006.... more...

...In putting this paper together, the Global Institute of Logistics held discussions with four electronics manufacturers and four logistics service providers, to gather first-hand information about how companies have prepared and carried out their WEEE strategies.... more...

...iNEMI's High-Reliability RoHS Task Force has issued recommendations for manufacturing complex, thermally challenging electronic assemblies using lead-free processes. These recommendations target thermal requirements for components, laminate and PWB materials, and equipment, and aim to help ensure product reliability.... more...

...The iNEMI High Reliability Task Force has published a Position Paper drafting guidelines and testing parameters for lead-free technology in high-complexity, thermally challenging assemblies.... more...

...Motherboard makers have dismissed rumors that they are slashing prices in order to clear inventories that do not comply with the European Union’s Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) legislation, which goes into effect in July, according to industry sources.... more...

...Cookson Electronics Assembly Materials (CEAM) has launched the ALPHA EF-6100 low-solids wave solder flux. It is the latest addition to its EF series of environmentally-friendly fluxes designed for new Pb-free processes as well as tin-lead processes. This alcohol-based flux is said to have passed international reliability standards including IPC, Bellcore and JIS.... more...

...While SAC systems provided acceptable performance for many years through a range of applications, they have not yet established the years of history for stress and creep that traditional tin/lead systems have.... more...

...The transition to lead-free soldering is a giant puzzle. Trying to assemble it has been a massive undertaking because there are so many pieces. Like many of you, I have been working on this puzzle for several years. Fortunately, the pieces are starting to fit together, and more is being completed. Our industry still has a lot to do, but there is enough momentum at this point that we should be able to comply with the July 1, 2006, deadline. Following are six frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help solve part of the puzzle.... more...

...Critical lead free issues include new alloys and material evaluations, inspection changes, tin whiskers, lead free on advanced packages, like chip scale and flip chip, and reliability. Assembly operations will face increased assembly costs, perhaps 15% higher, and will be impacted in areas beyond manufacturing, such as field support, sales, marketing and training.... more...

...Electronics Yorkshire, TWI and Envirowise have teamed up to run a two-day convention focusing on forthcoming RoHS and WEEE legislation. 'Compliance means Business' is scheduled to take place at the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate on April 5 and 6 and has been designed to raise awareness within the electronics industry that compliance with the new European directives on WEEE and RoHS can create new business opportunities.... more...

...Proposed exemptions to the RoHS Directive continue to be under consideration by the Technical Adaptation Committee (TAC). As cited in the unofficial Technical Adaptation Committee (TAC) notes for the meeting held on February 15, 2006, the member states have voted in favor of five new exemptions to the RoHS directive.... more...

...The success of a reflow oven is not measured in its size or the number of heating zones, it is determined by the ability to create every possible reflow profile.... more...

...Omron Electronic Components Business - Europe today announced that, with effect from 1 March 2006, it is fully RoHS compliant, and that it has removed all remaining non-compliant stock from its European warehouse in the Netherlands.... more...

...New RoHS-WEEE Compliance Seminars at RoHSwell.com... more...

...China has issued its version of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive; the Chinese version was promulgated on Feb. 28 and takes effect March 1, 2007. An copy of the law in English is available here. The Chinese version contains four chapters and 27 articles.... more...

...The Institute believes that the initiative could lead to excellent business opportunities for logistics service providers who develop specific WEEE strategy and service offerings.... more...

...The Institute of Circuit Technology held an evening seminar on 28th February 2006 in Arundel, UK on the subject of Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) legislation and its impact on the circuit industry, with papers from Martin Goosey of Rohm and Haas, and Len Pillinger from BSI.... more...

...In response to the up and coming EU RoHS legislation, the GSPK Group has taken the initiative to develop a RoHS calendar guide to assist its customers.... more...

...ELFNET - European Lead-Free Soldering Network - collaborates with SEMI to deliver a package of lead-free solutions at the forthcoming SEMICON Europa in Munich 4th-6th April 2006. Top experts from Europe and the US will be available in the exhibition at ELFNET's 'Lead-Free Village' and will stage a series of key presentations on Lead-Free Solutions for Assembly and Packaging in the Hall A3 Technology Arena.... more...

...Attendees at the SMART Group 8th Annual Lead-Free Seminar admitted their companies will not be compliant by the July 1 deadline. The majority of questionnaires returned at the event showed that industry will either not be ready or is uncertain that it will meet the looming compliance date. Also a high number of companies believe they are exempt from the Directive.... more...

...Recently, we received a BOM from our CM which has attached all the materials that they use to manufacture our boards. Certificates/test results of alloys were also attached. The SAC Alloy analysis showed that Lead (Pb) in all three types of SAC alloys found to be 467, 527, 254 ppm respectively. We were under the impression that any SAC alloy would not contain any lead even though up to 1000ppm is acceptable by the EU directive.... more...

...NWML is the UK enforcement body for RoHS. Dulcie Elliot presents an overview of the approach being set up for delivery on 1st July 2006.... more...

...Jeff Shafer is senior vice president in charge of product management, product data and pricing at Newark InOne, the U.S. operation of U.K.-based Premier Farnell plc, one of the top electronic catalog distributors in the world. Bruce Rayner, ESM's editorial director, met with Shafer recently for a discussion about challenges in component distribution, RoHS and the prospects for further industry consolidation.... more...

...Visualize 500 million obsolete computers in the U.S. alone, another 130 million cell phones disposed of annually, and about 20 million TVs and computers stored in homes and offices - and the picture begins to become clearer on the magnitude of the electronic waste problem.... more...

...EU Commissioner for the Environment, Stavros Dimas launched Ireland's first automated Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment processing plant which will be capable of processing up to 30,000 metric tons of equipment.... more...

...The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive comes into force this summer. Purchasers of electrical equipment will have to be switched on to the requirements, says Ben Cook. This will have the "biggest impact since the invention of the microchip," says Gary Nevison, head of product market strategy at electrical distributor Premier Farnell.... more...

...Celestica CEO Steve Delaney: The complexity and impact of RoHS has been shocking.... more...

...According to online reports, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry will begin enforcing a law concerning the sale of used electronic devices, beginning April 1st, in a move that is said by some to have significant effects on second-hand sales of older video game consoles or software. The Electrical Appliance and Materials Safety Law, passed in 2001, already requires manufacturers to place "product safety of electrical appliance and materials" (PSE) safety certifications on new electronic goods, and beginning in April, retailers will be prohibited from selling pre-2001 electrical items without the PSE mark.... more...

...A research project looking into the collection, recovery and recycling of electronic waste in Hampshire has suggested regular kerbside collections of WEEE are a possibility, writes Adam Hooker.... more...

...With the release of the IPC-1752, the materials declaration management standard, companies in the electronic industry can begin to automate the processing of obtaining and managing their RoHS compliance data. IPC-1752 was developed by the standards body, the Association Connecting Electronics Industries (IPC), using work originally started by other organizations such as the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI).... more...

...Lead and other hazardous materials are coming out of electronic products. Test equipment has an exemption, but it still must be recycled.... more...

...SMART Group has announced that the event was well attended with 160 delegates who appreciated a wide ranging seminar of lead-free topics, a lively debate and surprising results from a survey conducted on the day.... more...

...European Commission, UK and France block Swedish attempt to ban Deca-BDE. Swedish proposal did not respect the conclusions of the EU risk assessment.... more...

...Over the last few years, electronics manufacturers and their suppliers have been preparing to meet the requirements of the July 1, 2006 deadline for compliance with the RoHS directive. . . Several alternative lead-free materials have been proposed and tested, including several alternatives to the traditional tin/lead alloys.... more...

...Those that serve commercial/consumer markets will need to comply with the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) conversion to environmentally-friendly tin solder plating. But if the same manufacturers simultaneously continue to serve exempted high-reliability military and aerospace markets, they must bear the expense of separate lead-based manufacturing operations that eliminate tin whiskers that have been proven to grow, break off and cause system failures in high-stress environments.... more...

...Manufacturing facilities are in the final stages of preparing for the implementation of the European Union directive, Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), in July 2006, which requires the elimination of hazardous substances from electronic components and other products. Already some substances have been identified which are likely to cause problems for electronics manufacturers after implementation of the RoHS, namely volatile organic compounds (VOC)... more...