RoHS Directive – 2002/95/EC
The Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS) Directive was established by the European Union (E.U.). It affects manufacturers, sellers, distributors, and recyclers of electrical and electronic equipment.
RoHS 1 Directive – 2002/95/EC
After July 1, 2006, the use of the materials above specified thresholds were banned in new products sold in Europe; however, each E.U. member country applies its own laws regarding the Directive. As noted, the Directive requires that each separate homogenous part of the component not contain more than the specified concentrations for the following substances:
| RoHS Restricted Substances | Limit |
| Lead (PB) | 0.1% (1000 ppm) |
| Cadmium (Cd) | 0.1% (1000 ppm) |
| Mercury (Hg)) | 0.1% (1000 ppm) |
| Hexavalent Chromium (CrVI) | 0.1% (1000 ppm) |
| Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) | 0.1% (1000 ppm) |
| Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) | 0.1% (1000 ppm) |
The term homogenous refers to meeting the concentration of each restricted material and being below the specified threshold for each component capable of being physically separated. Examples of homogenous materials include glass, plastics, ceramics, alloys, metals, paper, resins, and coatings.
RoHS 2 Directive – 2011/65/EU
On July 1, 2011, the updated RoHS Directive (Directive 2011/65/EU) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union and entered into force on July 21, 2011.
The updated directive introduces the new requirements of CE marking and the declaration of conformity requirements. This requires manufacturers, importers, and distributors who place electrical and electronic equipment on the European market to ensure that a conformity assessment procedure is conducted. This assessment must align with module A of Annex II, part of Decision No 768/2008/EC in which a CE marking must be affixed to the finished product.
The updated scope of the directive includes all electrical and electronic equipment and as of July 2014, includes medical devices, monitoring and control instruments.