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How will the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive for electronics equipment (RoHS) impact North America? It’s hard to say exactly. What’s certain is that environmental issues are a growing concern, and “green” products are in increasing demand. Here’s one way to approach these challenges.

For D-M-E’s part, we’re altering all part designs in our mold technologies business—from circuit boards to small components such as fasteners—to comply with the most stringent interpretations of RoHS and another European Union directive, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive (WEEE).

These two directives are designed to reduce or eliminate air, soil and water contamination from poor disposal of manufacturing materials and chemicals. RoHS restricts the use of six potentially harmful materials: mercury, hexavalent chromium, cadmium, lead, polybrominated biphenyl and polybrominated diphenyl ether. WEEE requires manufacturers to reacquire and recycle equipment made after August 2005. 

In the United States, the only corresponding regulations so far have been in the form of a handful of conflicting laws in individual states. Asian enforcement also varies. Nevertheless, we’re complying with the strictest possible readings of these rules. Why?

By doing so, we’re ensuring that our products are compliant, no matter where our customers are in the world.