Why do we need to emphasize the implementation of RoHS?

Apr 13, 2024

Environmental protection has been a hot topic in recent years, including global warming and water pollution, the survival of mankind has been seriously challenged, so the development of a set of legislation to reduce the impact of hazardous substances on the environment is particularly important, and RoHS has emerged.

The emergence of RoHS

RoHS legislation enacted by the European Union in 2003, known as The Restriction of Hazardous Substances, the main purpose is to restrict the use of hazardous substances in equipment including engraving machines, TVs, computers and other electronic appliances, including the impact on human health and the environment, and to make the life cycle of electronic equipment safer and more secure at every stage. However, there are still many large electronics manufacturers who are not able to meet the RoHS requirements, because the RoHS requirements are high, and the cost to the manufacturing industry is greatly increased. So why should individuals be concerned about RoHS? In the past it was just a moral issue not to buy RoHS, as you could choose cheaper non-RoHS products, but now it has become a legal issue, and any product sold in the EU must be CE-marked, which has greatly increased the standard of the industry.

Is RoHS an imperative?

Most governments usually try to raise taxes as much as reasonably possible, and also designate laws that reduce public spending, e.g. if your wages go up, so does your income tax, and RoHS doesn't provide immediate financial savings for the government, so why implement RoHS? Since the 20th century to the present day, industrial development has seen a variety of chemicals used in the manufacturing industry, and some of these chemicals have had harmful effects that have been applied to their production uses, leading to many years of human health and environmental problems. The harmful effects of some chemicals have been applied to the manufacturing process, leading to many serious consequences for human health and the environment over the years as a result of exposure to these hazardous materials.

A case in point is the use of asbestos, a material that is easily mined and widely used, and which has the properties of a flame retardant. However, it is a very dangerous carcinogenic material. At that time, people did not understand the danger of this material, and when it was processed into powder and accidentally inhaled into the human body, lung cancer, mesothelioma and other diseases would appear, resulting in hundreds of thousands of people's health being threatened.

The problem of chemicals like asbestos is that it is essential to reduce the use of such chemicals in manufacturing industries in a timely and mandatory manner. Therefore, the European Union has introduced RoHS legislation, which effectively bans the use of dangerous and hazardous substances in products.

Impact of RoHS on individuals

The most direct impact on the individual is to ensure safety, because lead and beryllium oxide and other substances in contact with the human body will not immediately produce adverse reactions, the need for long-term exposure to pose a threat to the human body, and the contact is not limited to accidental ingestion, but also includes touching the hands or body, simple hand washing and other means of cleaning can not be avoided the dangers posed by these substances. The largest non-RoHS chemicals are cadmium and mercury, among others.

Even if one disagrees with the implementation of RoHS, the EU market must comply with this legislation. All products sold in the EU are required to meet CE standards, and with the exception of a few exemptions, companies found to be non-compliant risk prosecution, fines and even imprisonment. However, there has been a lot of resistance to RoHS implementation because it is much more expensive for manufacturing to comply with the higher requirements, the initial cost of transitioning a company is prohibitively high, and the maintenance costs required to stay compliant are very high.

Are there restrictions on private use of non-RoHS products?

Let's say you need to repair a TV, but you're only using it for yourself, then using leaded solder is allowed. But if you run a repair store and repair TVs for your customers. Then you must comply with RoHS and use RoHS-compliant solder, unless the TV was manufactured before RoHS came into the picture.

Other Impacts of Non-RoHS Products

Customers who purchase products are not the only group affected by RoHS. Before customers can purchase products, they need to go through processes such as packaging and shipping, and these steps are almost always done manually, especially in countries with relatively low levels of development. The employees who package these products are directly exposed to the threat of hazardous substances, and the manufacturing process also affects the employees who handle this product. In addition to this, when non-RoHS products are discarded at the end of their useful life, the negative impacts continue, as the waste is usually concentrated in recycling centers or landfills, and the workers who handle the waste are also affected if they are not properly protected. And these non-RoHS waste buried in landfills, with the prolonged rainfall, these hazardous substances are usually not degraded and will penetrate the ground with water, eventually leading to the ground being contaminated as well. This in turn pollutes the water resources below the ground, which eventually flows into the sea. The wildlife and fish that accidentally eat these water sources will also be threatened, and ultimately humans will still be affected after fishing and eating. Especially tuna, a long-lived fish, can accumulate trace amounts of mercury or lead over time.

Conclusion

RoHS is an important piece of European Union legislation that protects humans and the environment from hazardous substances. For companies, complying with this act and adopting RoHS-compliant parts is a sign of responsibility to employees, customers, society, and the environment. For individuals, although there is no mandatory requirement for private individuals to use RoHS compliant products, it is still desirable to use RoHS compliant products as much as possible, as this is responsible for their own and their family's health.

Our company, Katway, has been at the forefront of the engraving machine industry for many years, pioneering industrial upgrades early on. We proudly guarantee that all our products have obtained RoHS certification. This commitment underscores our dedication to the health of all consumers and environmental protection. To merge sustainability with cutting-edge technology, Katway continuously innovates and designs perfect engraving tools for customers under the RoHS standard.