>The green passport of the electronic manufacturing industry and the environmental threshold that PCB companies must cross.
In today’s global electronic manufacturing industry, RoHS has become an unavoidable keyword. For PCB (printed circuit board) companies, understanding and complying with RoHS requirements is not only related to whether products can enter the international market, but also reflects the company’s environmental responsibility and technical strength.
RoHS, also known as the Restriction of Hazardous Substances, is a mandatory standard issued by the European Union in 2002 and officially implemented on July 1, 2006. Its aim is to regulate the material and process standards of electronic and electrical products, protect human health and the environment.
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The meaning of RoHS is to restrict harmful substances and limit requirements
The core of RoHS lies in the strict control of harmful substances in electronic and electrical products. Initially, the RoHS directive restricted the use of six hazardous substances:
1. Lead (Pb)
2. Mercury (Hg)
3. Cadmium (Cd)
4. Hexavalent chromium (Cr ₆⁺)
5. Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB)
6. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)
In 2015, the European Union issued Directive (EU) 2015/863, which added four phthalates to the list of restricted substances, expanding the control of substances to ten:
7. Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
8. Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP)
9. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP)
10. Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP)
The limit requirements for these substances are: cadmium and its compounds must not exceed 0.01% (100ppm), and the remaining nine substances must not exceed 0.1% (1000ppm).
Scope of RoHS Application and Global Implementation
The EU RoHS 2.0 (2011/65/EU Directive) expands the scope of controlled products to all electronic and electrical equipment, including medical equipment and monitoring equipment, except for special exemptions.
Specifically covering more than ten categories of products, including large household appliances, small household appliances, information and communication equipment, consumer products, lighting equipment, electrical and electronic tools, toys, leisure and sports equipment, etc.
The key change is that RoHS 2.0 incorporates RoHS compliance into the scope of CE certification. Since July 2013, all electronic and electrical products included in the scope of RoHS 2.0 management must obtain CE certification before being launched in the European Union. Manufacturers must ensure that their products comply with RoHS requirements and prepare corresponding declarations and technical documents.
The Chinese version of RoHS, the Management Measures for the Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products, is also being continuously promoted. At the beginning of 2025, the mandatory national standard “Requirements for the Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products” has completed public solicitation of opinions, increasing the number of controlled substances from six to ten, in line with international standards, and uniformly adopting the GB/T 39560 series testing standards.
Testing Method Update: Global Standard Convergence
The testing method is a key step in RoHS compliance. In January 2024, the China National Certification and Accreditation Administration issued a notice to unify the testing method for RoHS in China from GB/T 26125 to GB/T 39560 series testing standards, which will be officially implemented from March 1, 2024.
The GB/T 39560 series standards are equivalent to the international standard IEC 62321 series testing methods, marking the official integration of China’s RoHS testing methods with the international community and significantly improving the global applicability of RoHS testing data.
The new standard system includes 8 specific standards, covering various analytical methods such as X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy screening and chromatography-mass spectrometry, providing a systematic approach for the detection of different materials and components.
Exemption mechanism and its dynamic changes
Although RoHS sets strict restrictions on hazardous substances, considering that suitable alternatives cannot be found for certain special application areas, the directive has established an exemption mechanism. The exemption clauses of EU RoHS are listed in Appendix III (All Electronic and Electrical Equipment) and Appendix IV (Medical Equipment and Monitoring Equipment) respectively.
The exemption clause is not permanently valid. Enterprises or industry organizations can apply for an extension 18 months before the expiration of the exemption, and the European Commission will evaluate and decide whether to extend or revise it. If there is no extension application before expiration, the terms will automatically become invalid; If there is an application, the terms will remain valid during the evaluation period.
As of July 2024, 22 exemption clauses in the EU RoHS directive have expired, involving various applications of substances such as lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, DEHP, etc. in electronic products. This places higher demands on PCB companies, requiring them to invest more resources in finding alternative solutions.
The impact and challenges of RoHS
The implementation of the RoHS directive has significantly increased the awareness of manufacturers, customers, and consumers towards toxic and harmful substances, promoting the sustainable development of the electronics industry. It simplifies business processes and expands market prospects by restricting the use of harmful substances.
For enterprises, RoHS compliance also brings challenges. Especially in terms of testing costs, according to the new Chinese national standard requirements, at least one type inspection should be conducted annually during normal production, and 2 samples should be randomly selected from the products produced in the current year each time.
If there are changes in the material or process of the product, additional inspection is required. According to industry estimates, the cost of RoHS testing for a single household appliance is about 20000 yuan, and for enterprises with numerous product models, the annual testing cost may reach several million yuan.
With the continuous strengthening of hazardous substance control in various countries, PCB companies must establish a sound material control system, strengthen cooperation with suppliers, and ensure compliance throughout the entire process from raw materials to finished products.
In the future, with the improvement of environmental protection requirements and the development of technology, the RoHS controlled substance list may continue to expand, the limit requirements may become stricter, and exemption clauses will gradually decrease. PCB companies can only gain a competitive advantage and achieve sustainable development in the era of green manufacturing by integrating environmental protection requirements into the entire process of product design and production.
For the PCB industry, RoHS is not only a threshold, but also an important force in promoting technological innovation and industrial upgrading.
