A Symphony of Synergy: How Certification to the IECQ HSPM Specification Works in Concert with the IPC Lead Free Certification Program

摘要

The IPC's Lead Free program addresses one of the 6 Hazardous Substances regulated by the RoHS directive. Certification to the QC 080000, the IECQ HSPM Specification, addresses the other 5 Hazardous Substances called out by RoHS thus addressing all 6 of the restricted substances. The synergy of applying both systems allows a company to accomplish total due diligence. Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council was published on 27 January 2003. Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment (commonly known and referred to as RoHS) went into effect July 1, 2006. The RoHS directive was established by the European Union in order to reduce waste harmfulness, and restrict certain types of hazardous substances from being imported into the EU. The directive bans the following six substances, above the noted concentration levels, in electrical and electronic equipment: Substance Max Concentration Lead-Pb 0.1% Mercury - Hg 0.1% Cadmium - Cd 0.01 % Hexavalent Chromium - Cr(VI) 0.1 % Polybrominated biphenyls - PBB 0.1 % Polybrominated diphenyl ethers - PBDE 0.1% In May 2006, the European Union published a guidance document intended to assist companies as they attempt to comply with the EU RoHS directive. Key issues addressed within the Guidance include the establishment of a Compliance Assurance System (CAS) and establishment of the underlying principles that might be used to guide member states that make up the European Union in RoHS enforcement. Also addressed by the guidance document are the type of documentation that 'producers' (within the specific definition given in Article 3 of the Directive) might be advised to keep, the ways in which Member State enforcement authorities might use such documentation to check for RoHS compliance, the ways in which sample preparation, and analytical testing might be employed to avoid inconsistent enforcement decisions between Member States.