EU grants 29 RoHS exceptions

An article in the Design News sister publication, Electronic Business, reports that the European Union has granted 29 exemptions to the RoHS directive. Another 80 exemptions are being considered. The 29 exemptions ranged from lead used in “compliant pin connector systems” to “mercury in straight fluorescent lamps for special purposes.” The article details the full list.

Companies can apply for exemptions when they find it difficult or impossible to manufacture RoHS-compliant products as efficiently or effectively as they could before the ban. Companies are asked to prove the validity of their request by comparing the performance of their products using banned substances with those using their substitutes. The EU then studies and approves or disapproves the requested exemption.

Nine of the 29 exemptions (21 through 29 on the list in the article) were not listed in the EU’s Official Journal as of mid-August because of the validity of the requests and their importance was still being assessed.

Original text is here