RoHS is a directive imposed by the European Union that restricts the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products to prevent environmental damage and protect human health. The acronym comes from the English term Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive.

The RoHS directive applies to the following products:

• Household appliances
• Information technology and telecommunications equipment
• Consumer electronics
• Lighting fixtures
• Electrical tools
• Toys
• Sports and leisure equipment
• Automatic vending machines

Although many people perceive RoHS rules as “lead-free production,” hazardous substances are not limited to lead alone. Under RoHS, the following six substances are banned, with maximum allowable concentrations:

• Cd (Cadmium): 0.01% ppm
• Hg (Mercury): 0.1% ppm
• Cr (VI) Hexavalent Chromium: 0.1% ppm
• PBB (Polybrominated Biphenyl): 0.1% ppm
• PBDE (Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether): 0.1% ppm
• Pb (Lead): 0.1% ppm

(ppm = parts per million, by weight)

At 2M Cable, we maintain both REACH and RoHS declarations. Each year, we send selected samples to accredited international laboratories for testing, and we always require RoHS certificates from our suppliers for the raw materials we purchase.

REACH is a European Union regulation concerning the registration, evaluation, authorization, and restriction of chemicals. It came into force on June 1, 2007, and consolidates a series of EU directives and regulations into a single system.