...The convention, and proposed amendments, will be discussed in the World Forum on E-waste, November 30, 2006, in Nairobi, as part of the 8th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP8). Several African countries see imports of e-waste, for incineration or landfill disposal, increasing rapidly.... more...

...Taiwan recently held the "2006 Green Supply Chain Application Exhibition and Forum" - its first ever environment-friendly-focused industry exhibition--in Taipei. Organized by the Taipei Computer Association, the exhibition highlighted eco-friendly material processes, components, products, information management and implementation services.... more...

...Green is now without a doubt the new black. Organic vegetables invading our cupboards, environmental fabric invading our wardrobes and dirty looks towards anyone who drives either a 4x4 or takes business flights to Europe more than once a month.... more...

...Since the WEEE environment today remains one of varying compliance requirements in different member states, it's important to understand the fundamentals of the directive along with obligations such as registration, financing, collection systems and reporting that vary by country.... more...

...Environmental consultancy Environ UK Ltd. has set up a web-based system to manage the collection and recycling of products across Europe under European Union WEEE (waste electronic and electrical equipment) rules.... more...

...According to Gartner, electronic equipment and computer manufacturers will need to invest in research and development to align their products with future 'green' regulations, not just those in force today. This is because more governments around the world are being to impose regulations on substances that may harm the environment.... more...

...Greenpeace on Tuesday criticised India's draft legislation on Waste from Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE), terming it inadequate and claiming that it retreated from existing laws and principles on E-waste handling and management.... more...

...Laws designed to curb the environmental impact of computer parts will disrupt complex global supply chains unless companies themselves are more stringent, says Gartner.... more...

...Recently, I have had a number of conversations with EMS companies and solder suppliers regarding RoHS implementation. They all the say the same thing - the number of customers actually implementing lead-free is, at best, around 30 to 35 percent.... more...

...RoHS enforcement agencies across Europe have been quietly inspecting electronics products for RoHS compliance since the July 1 deadline. For now, the EU RoHS authorities are focused on generating compliance not prosecution. But this may change in 2007.... more...

...IT disposal, recycling and reuse specialist CKS has announced plans for a new £8m waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) treatment facility designed to cope with the increase in demand expected when the controversial WEEE directive passes into law next July.... more...

...Despite the best intentions of legislators, Europe’s defence industry must respond to the challenges imposed by the economic realities of the global drive toward lead-free electronics. Military equipment is one of the product categories exempted in the RoHS and WEEE Directives but, in reality, the widespread use of COTS components in military equipment is forcing defence contractors into the lead-free front line.... more...

...Tin whiskers, materials and regulatory issues, assembly reliability and embedded passives are just a handful of the critical topics that will take main stage at the Technical Conference sessions of IPC Printed Circuits Expo, APEX and the Designers Summit 2007, February 20 - 22, in Los Angeles, Calif.... more...

...Green is now without a doubt the new black. Organic vegetables invading our cupboards, environmental fabric invading our wardrobes and dirty looks towards anyone who drives either a 4x4 or takes business flights to Europe more than once a month.... more...

...Several leading hardware vendors have confirmed they are investing heavily in developing alternatives to the lead-based solders used in their servers and infrastructure equipment ahead of a 2010 review of the EU's Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive that could see the practice banned.... more...

...PCB production has not been without its share of problems and hurdles, but perhaps the biggest hurdle to date is producing a lead free PCB. Component combinations, surface treatments, base materials, solder pastes and processes were easily addressed prior to July 1, 2006, but now these issues may seem insurmountable thanks to the RoHS Directive.... more...

...Complying with Europe’s RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) regulations is more than just manufacturing products that meet certain standards. Almost daily, there are new standards coming onto the market from countries outside of the European Union, and some of these, especially China's, have far-reaching effects into a manufacturer's production line.... more...

...Get the lead out... and the cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Months after the EU's July 1 deadline, an ongoing RoHS survey revealed that 83% of respondents were at severe to high risk of not being able to demonstrate compliance, says Michael Topolovac, CEO, Arena Solutions, a Foster City, Calif.-based provider of PLM solutions. In addition, 69% indicated that they did not have a centralized compliance management solution in place that was accessible to employees and suppliers.... more...

...China's electronics industry is starting to gain ground on complying with RoHS, according to Soldertec Global.... more...

...Some key Chinese standards further defining the requirements of the forthcoming China RoHS regulations have been published. . . These will be made available in hard copy in December, and then only in Chinese.... more...

...Impact of RoHS Directive on a Customer-Oriented Business (SMT Magazine Interview) Read this SMT Magazine interview with Andy Ahner, an assembly engineer and engineering supervisor at Diversified Systems in Indianapolis, about running high-mix, quick-turn SMT lines, and the impact of the RoHS Directive on a customer-oriented business. Diversified Systems has chosen to partner with the electronic groups of Henkel in Irving, CA, for the majority of their product requirements.... more...

...'Green IT' is fast becoming the IT industry’s current buzzword, but will green lead to genuine channel margins or is it just a naive dead end? Gareth Kershaw looks at what this latest wave of regulation-compliant equipment can offer both customers and VARs... more...

...A range of companies are still confused about the European Union's RoHS requirements and are not in compliance with them, technology and design solutions news outlet Electric Design reports.... more...

...The National Physical Laboratory, NPL, UK is to launch a project on the topic of copper dissolution in lead-free soldering systems. It is well-known that copper dissolution can be increased in lead-free soldering, both in processing and rework. This study aims to quantify the effects using a range of solders at various temperatures in different PCB configurations.... more...

...Chinese "lead-free" law: electronica offers one last chance to gain information and discuss developments before the regulation takes effect. The electronica Forum and the ZVEI Forum offer the opportunity to hear lectures by experts and speak with companies that are affected.... more...

...Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) is warning its members to take action on China’s version of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive.... more...

...China's electronics industry is getting its RoHS act together, claims test house Soldetec Global. "In the last six months, we are seeing from China many more products where it is hard to find non-compliant parts," Soldertec marketing manager Tom Perrett told EW. There are more products that pass all the tests, but Perrett added: "These are still a fairly low percentage of the total."... more...

...The EU replaces the original battery Directive 91/157 with Directive 2006/66, which sets producer requirements and collection rates. However, the directive does provide some flexibility when it comes to exempting small producers. Implementation date: September 26, 2008.... more...

...I am sympathetic and concerned about the effect of RoHS complinace on military and other high reliability products. Perhaps an organization like DARPA should take a lead in addressing this issue. I will investigate this concern further in the future. Reader Michael sums up the situation below:... more...

...According to a white paper written by Kevin Curran of the Electronics Group of Henkel Technologies, RoHS compliant products do not ensure lead-free process capability. Curran says, "Nothing could be further from the truth." In response to the dual needs of RoHS compliance and lead-free process capability, Henkel has developed a RoHS-compliant adhesive that meets the traditional low-temp processing need while also being able to withstand the higher-temp lead-free processing capability.... more...

...The price of tin is expected to remain strong within the next 12 months, triggered by continued growing demand and uncertainties in supply. On Oct 16, the commodity shot up to US$11,000 per tonne - its highest level in almost two decades - on the London Metal Exchange (LME). Tin has since retraced slightly to hover at US$10,025 per tonne currently.... more...

...Is "lead-free," "power savings" and a "take-back program" as good as it gets? A lot more can and is being done already. Computers with up to 97% less brominated flame retardants (BFRs), up to 97% less toxins and carcinogens, cleaner manufacturing.... more...

...The California Department of Toxic Substances Control will hold a public workshop this week to solicit input and update stakeholders on the development of regulations prohibiting the sale of non-RoHS compliant electronic devices in California.... more...

...With RoHS still dominating the market place, the new catalogue from Farnell InOne, the number one source for RoHS compliant products and information, lands on desks across Australia bringing design engineers a much needed snapshot of the new RoHS compliant technology in the industry.... more...

...Recycling firms processing electronic equipment are likely to be allowed to shred appliances without first removing hazardous components. Defra has said as long as any pollutants are contained within the recycling process, and do not harm the suitability of materials for reprocessing, hazardous materials can be separated from waste electronics after the shredding stage.... more...

...Papros Inc.'s top of the pack product MRPRO is helping US and international companies in continuing to meet RoHS and other compliance requirements for material composition data by integrating efficiently material data from a variety of sources.... more...

...In the Annex to Directive 2002/95/EC the following points 21 to 27 are added... more...

...The Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International industry organization (SEMI) has issued a newsletter containing a "regulatory alert" on China's legal restrictions of hazardous substances (RoHS), saying some of its members need to prepare to act before March 1, 2007.... more...

...The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI), an industry-led consortium, has established a task group to address the needs of OEMs that are taking the lead on lead exemption from, or whose products are out of scope of, the RoHS Directive.... more...

...The Department of Trade and Industry has signalled that it will be altering the proposed evidence system for the recycling of waste electronics. A new look "dual-approach" to the evidence system will see treatment facilities being handed the responsibility for providing two types of evidence to producers or their compliance schemes.... more...

...IT directors were this week advised to check how their infrastructure hardware suppliers plan to comply with the restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS) for electrical and electronic equipment directive when the legislation changes in 2010.... more...

...The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI), an industry-led consortium, has organized a task group to address the needs of OEMs that are taking the lead (Pb) exemption from the RoHS directive or whose products are out of scope of the set of environmental requirements enacted this summer.... more...

...I first became aware of E-Certa in March of 2006. The idea of converting Pb-bearing parts to RoHS compliance was intriguing. Later, when I saw that a number of companies were applying for RoHS exemptions based on lifetime buys of Pb-containing parts, I thought that was odd given the E-Certa solution.... more...

...Leading experts in the electronics interconnect industry will convene in Los Angeles, Calif., to teach more than 50 full-day and half-day courses providing attendees with practical information on today’s (and tomorrow’s) critical issues as part of the professional development program at IPC Printed Circuits Expo, APEX and the Designers Summit 2007.... more...

...Environment-focused initiatives like EuP (the Energy-using Products directive), Reach (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals) and other regulations coming primarily out of Europe make it abundantly clear that the electronics industry is by no means viewed as "green" yet.... more...

...Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd announced that it has eliminated lead from all its plasma display panels, making it the first panel maker to comply with new environmental guidelines.... more...

...Synapsis Technology, Inc. today announced that its EMARS(TM) environmental compliance solution for RoHS, WEEE, and ELV, now includes enhanced functionality that fully automates the collection, management, and reporting of industry standard IPC 1752 material declaration forms.... more...

...The waste electrical and electrical equipment (WEEE) directive, adopted by the European Union (EU) is still being hotly debated in the UK. The directive, which aims to prevent too much electrical waste and promote recycling, is a huge priority for the government because of the potential hazardousness of WEEE waste.... more...

...On March 1, 2007 - less than 4 months from now - China RoHS' labeling and disclosure requirements for more than 1800 products will take effect. At a time when many companies are concerned about what they need to do and how they will protect their revenue, The GoodBye Chain Group (GCG) announces its one-stop shopping solution for complying with China RoHS and its implementing standards.... more...

...North America distributors should take the same steps as equipment manufacturers to guarantee that components meet the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) law, according to the president of catalog distributor Newark InOne. RoHS, which took effect July 1, puts the legal responsibility for demonstrating compliance on the producers of finished electrical or electronic devices. Paul Tallentire, president of Chicago-based Newark InOne, says that component distributors should meet the same standards if they are to provide their customers with the assurance they need to meet the legal requirements.... more...

...ENVIRON is pleased to announce the establishment of a Producer Compliance Scheme-the B2BWEEE-Scheme-to enable producers of business-to-business (B2B) products to fulfil their obligations under the proposed UK WEEE Regulations.... more...

...The EU is on the brink of adopting a radical change to chemicals testing laws after a vote in the European Parliament's environment committee this month. But the laws will lead to the deaths of tens of millions of rabbits, mice and guinea pigs through new experiments to be imposed next April.... more...

...So far, the European Union (EU) countries have not identified any products that are out of compliance with the RoHS directive that went into affect on July 1. That will likely change in coming months. This is part 1 of a two-part article. Many companies knew they were not going to be compliant until this fall. They were betting that the EU wouldn’t immediately bust for RoHS violations following the July 1, 2006 deadline. Their bet was apparently right.... more...

...A London-based reprocessing facility is set to handle plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) from the back end of February.... more...

...Eleven senior officials from the Chinese Ministry of Information Industries (MII) recently addressed over 250 high-tech attendees in Silicon Valley on the new China Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) regulations, which will go into effect next year (March 1, 2007).... more...

...The transition to make the Restriction of Certain Hazardous Substance (RoHS) directive introduced by the European Union (EU) on July 1 has been a success for most Taiwan electronics manufacturers, but the true test will come at the beginning of next year when EU officials start to go through shipments to inspect electronics good, according to a government expert.... more...

...Many words have been written about the impending lead free transition, during this period of frantic discovery lots has been communicated about the reflow and alloy concerns; but the print process, which is really the first process that adds value, is often overlooked. But this is where a process can be made or broken.... more...

...Companies that currently import into the EU are implicitly declaring RoHS compliance. This was the message conveyed by Steve Andrews, head of the eco-design and product registration unit with the UK Department of Trade and Industry. European countries are taking self-declarations on good faith; there is no visible mandate, according to Andrews.... more...

...Leo Lambert, vice president, technical director, EPTAC, will present a one-hour Webcast on "Rework and Repair of Lead-Free Solder Joints." The free online seminar will take place Nov. 15, 4 PM ET as part of the RoHS/WEEE series.... more...