RoHS in California
By Ed Kanegsberg
The RoHS directive of the EU (see
accompanying article) restricts the sale
of most electronic equipment in EU member states as of July 1, 2006 (i.e.
NOW). RoHS is not confined to Europe. California already has a law on the
books, and there is at least one statute pending in the California state
legislature that strengthens the restrictions of the law.
As of Jan. 1, 2007, ‘The Electronic Waste Recycling Act (EWRA, signed
into law in September of 2003), requires the Department of Toxic Substances
Control (DTSC) to adopt regulations to prohibit covered electronic devices,
as defined, from being “sold or offered for sale” in California
if they are prohibited from sale in the European Union (EU) because they
contain certain heavy metals’ (1).
The current law applies only to televisions and computers, including CRT, LCD, and Plasma screens, and applies to the use of the four heavy metals named in the EU directive, Cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)), and lead (Pb), but not polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).
Although the current law only applies to computers and televisions, legislation
is under development to increase the types of products affected. AB
2202 (2), is currently moving through the California legislature
having recently
been passed by the state Assembly and sent to the state Senate. AB2202
will expand the definition of covered electronic devices to include
all that are covered by the EU directive. This measure currently
has an implementation
date of Jan. 1, 2010.
References:
1.http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/EWaste/upload/Restriction_on_Electronic_Devices_01-05-06.pdf
2. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_2201-2250/ab_2202_bill_20060531_amended_asm.html
