What is RoHS?

RoHS regulations are designed to limit or eliminate substances that are dangerous to the environment and to people. Inadequately treated e-waste poses environmental and health risks. The RoHS directive is also meant to increase the amount of e-waste that is appropriately treated and to reduce the volume that goes to disposal.

RoHS (Restriction of Use of Hazardous Substances) regulations limit specific substances – lead, cadmium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB), mercury, hexavalent chromium, and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants – in electrical and electronic equipment.

Does RoHS affect the quality of PCBs?

RoHS is not a quality standard, and the simple fact that boards are RoHS compatible does not add to the quality of the board. RoHS, or more familiar ‘lead-free’ does have serious effect on PCB fabrication and soldering. The fact that boards are soldered at higher temperatures requires changes in the PCB manufacturing process. New FR-4 materials are developed to withstand the higher temperatures without reducing the lifetime of the final product. For more information, please see our page about “lead-free soldering“.

RoHS and RoHS2 directives

The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union created a program that standardizes the restriction and use of hazardous substances within the EU while contributing to the protection of human health and the environment. The EU has published Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment and Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (recast). These directives are commonly referred to as the RoHS and RoHS2 directives.

What is RoHS compliance? – RoHS declaration

RoHS compliance means acting in full accordance with RoHS regulations.

DECLARATION

Eurocircuits RoHS Certificate of compliances is available here.