Post by hayeschannon on Nov 17, 2011 5:48:46 GMT -5
Reduction of hazardous substance directive or rohs restricts the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment. This directive is closely linked with the WEEE or waste electrical and electronic equipment directive that sets collection, recycling and recovery targets for electrical goods. Also, it is part of a legislative initiative to solve the problem of huge amounts of toxic e waste. It stands officially for the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. This directive stands out with the purpose to set certain levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, poly brominated biphenyl or PBB and polybrominated diphinyl ether or PBDE in products. Also, any product which does not conform to the directive will be prohibited from sale within the countries of Europe that have agreed to the directive. As it is pointed out by experts, the rohs directive has a very ambitious time frame. According to it, all products must conform to the July 1st, 2006 date. Many manufacturers have been forced by this time line to develop new techniques and materials to meet the guidelines. An example to point out in this regard is with solder that is used in all electronics to connect chips to circuit boards. Because of the lower melting point of lead, it was used in solder since it makes it very easy to work with. Lead levels must be reduced in solder, and for it, new forms of solder must be used by manufacturers but there is a problem that they all melt at higher temperatures.