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ROHS and Lead-Free Complicance

What is ROHS？

RoHS is the abbreviation for "Restriction of Hazardous Substances," and its full name is the "Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive," also known as Directive 2002/95/EC. Originating from the European Union, RoHS aims to restrict the use of specific hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products (EEE). As of July 1, 2006, all products applicable to the European Union market must comply with RoHS regulations.

What are the Restricted Hazardous Substances Specified by RoHS?

The RoHS EU directive prohibits the use of 10 toxic substances in electrical and electronic devices. These substances are:

Lead (Pb) (0.1% maximum)

Mercury (Hg) (0.1% maximum)

Cadmium (Cd) (0.01% maximum)

Hexavalent chromium (Chromium 6) (0.1% maximum)

Polybrominated Biphenyl (PBB) (0.1% maximum)

Polybrominated Diphenyl ether (PBDE) (0.1% maximum)

Bis(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP) (0.1% maximum)

Butyl Benzyl Phthalate (BBP) (0.1% maximum)

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) (O.1% maximum)

Di-isobutyl phthalate (DIBP) (0.1% maximum)

Why is RoHS Compliance Important?

Restricted materials are harmful to the environment, contributing to landfill pollution, and pose dangers in terms of occupational exposure during manufacturing and recycling processes.

Which Companies are Affected by the RoHS Directive?

Any business that directly sells or distributes applicable electrical and electronic equipment products, sub-assemblies, components, or cables to EU countries, or sells products to distributors, resellers, or integrators who subsequently sell to EU countries, will be impacted if they use any restricted materials. As similar regulations to RoHS have spread to many other countries/regions, this no longer applies exclusively to EU countries/regions. RoHS also applies to any applications of metal plating, anodizing, chromating, or other surface treatments on EEE components, heat sinks, or connectors in the metal industry.

How does RoHS compliance impact PCB design?

Solder Material Changes: RoHS mandates the restriction of lead-containing solder. Traditional tin-lead solder is phased out in favor of lead-free solder, typically a tin-silver-copper (Sn-Ag-Cu) alloy. This necessitates adjustments to soldering process parameters in PCB design and manufacturing to accommodate the new solder material.
Material Selection: PCB design requires considering substrate materials and circuit components that do not contain hazardous substances restricted by RoHS. For instance, lead-free materials, including lead-free solder and lead-free packaged components, need to be chosen.
Thermal Properties: Lead-free solder typically requires higher soldering temperatures, requiring adjustments to the PCB's thermal properties to ensure there are no unexpected heat-related damages during the soldering process. This may involve selecting substrate materials with higher thermal conductivity or implementing other thermal management measures.
Surface Treatment: RoHS mandates restrictions on certain surface treatment methods, such as lead-containing electroplating. Alternative methods may include lead-free plating or other surface treatment technologies that comply with RoHS requirements.

PCBWay ROHS Certificate

Note:We applied UL by our Chinese company name.

Downlaod PCB RoHS Report 2023: RoHS-Report-PCBWay-2023

Downlaod PCB RoHS Report 2022: RoHS-Report-PCBWay-2022

Download RoHS2.0 Report 2021: RoHS-Report-PCBWay-2021

Downlaod PCB RoHS Report 2019: RoHS-Report-PCBWay-2019

Some products are not compliant with RoHs, for example: Surface Finish - HASL with lead.

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