Manufacturers of office equipment like copiers and printers as well as computers and other electronic devices are now touting their RoHS compatibility (usually pronounced “rose”).

What is RoHS, you well may ask? It is a directive passed by the European Union in 2006, and the acronym stands for Restriction of Hazardous Substances, a directive that applies to a wide variety of products.

RoHS was drawn up in an attempt to control the increasing problem of dangerous chemicals being released into the ecosystem by discarded electronic equipment. The materials of concern are lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium, and two forms of fire-retardant plastic: polybrominated byphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDF). The EU is placing increasingly stringent limits on the use of  these materials in newly manufactured electronic gear.

While this is currently a European issue, the big equipment manufacturers are changing their manufacturing methods for products worldwide. After all, most of the manufacturing for their products is done in the same Chinese factories.

In addition, California has passed a similar resolution, the Electronic Waste Recycling Act, which holds manufacturers to the same standards as RoHS. Other states are considering such measures as well, and it is possible that a national policy will be adopted, something that even the manufacturers are asking for, RoHS is not without it critics.  Lead is a major element in solder, and the use of lead-free solder is considered to have an impact on product reliability.

Also, there are lots of other products not covered by the directive (including batteries) that pose a far higher risk . And RoHS is no substitute for a comprehensive recycling program for used equipment. Nevertheless, most consider it a good starting point.

Expect to see more and more vendors touting their RoHS compatibility as more and more buying decisions take green technology into account.

Tags: compliance, Electronic Waste Recycling Act, RoHS