Certified RoHS Product Categories

The main product groups concerning the RoHS directive

RoHS is a directive in the European Union that stands for the Restriction of Hazardous Substances. It was created to control the use of hazardous materials often found in electrical and electronic equipment and goods. Furthermore, the directive was made to protect the health of humans, the state of the environment, and to guarantee electrical and electronic products can be recycled or disposed of safely. Any new product that was manufactured after July 1st 2006 must comply with the RoHS directive.

The following categories fall under the RoHS directive, and listed are a few examples of the types of products impacted:

First category: Large household appliances (fridges, stoves, dishwashers, washing machines)
Second category: Small household appliances (hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, coffee makers)
Third category: Communications equipment & computing (desktop computers, laptops, printers, phones)
Fourth category: Consumer electronics (TVs, DVD players, stereos, video cameras)
Fifth category: Lighting (lamps, light bulbs)
Sixth category: Power tools (drills, saws, trimmers, blowers)
Seventh category: Toys, leisure and sports equipment (video games, treadmills, fitness trackers)
Eighth category: Medical devices and equipment – (in vitro diagnostic medical devices)
Ninth category: Monitoring and control equipment (thermostats, smoke detectors, fire alarms)
Tenth category: Automatic dispensers (vending machines, ATM machines)
Eleventh category: Miscellaneous types of electronic and electrical equipment that don’t fall under the previous categories (electric vehicles with two wheels, e-cigarettes, vape pens, electrical cables less than 250V)

Examples of electrical and electronic products requiring RoHS compliance

Light bulbs

As these are items that only last a certain amount of time and are then thrown away, it’s vital to prevent any impact on landfills by making RoHS compliant light bulbs. This is because toxic chemicals can permeate the ground and thus contaminate water sources in the long-term.

edding 8903 heating iron for wooden floor repair waxes repairs floor

Heating irons

It’s vital that any DIY tool should be fall under the RoHS directive, as these are used around the home and could potentially come into contact with the skin. One RoHS product in the edding range is the battery-powered 8903 heating iron, which is used to melt wax needed for repairs to wooden floors.

Fridges

It is especially important that any electrical appliance containing food and drinks is RoHS compliant, simply because people will not only be consuming the items inside, but also touching and interacting with the fridge every day.

Wicker laundry basket and washing machine

Washing machines

If the electrical item is using water, then it’s imperative that no harmful chemicals like lead, mercury, or cadmium (all restricted substances under the RoHS directive) can enter pipes or drainage systems. Avoiding any harmful toxins touching clothing is especially vital.

Laptops

Laptops are, of course, popular items people use every day and carry with them for business or pleasure. For that reason, RoHS compliance helps to ensure the responsible use of materials in the product.

ROHS compliant sign with green leaf, vector illustration

The use of RoHS compliant electrical and non-electrical tools

The importance of RoHS is well documented in the categories and products already discussed, but what might be overlooked is the use of electrical and non-electrical tools in factories and workshops. RoHS compliance is also strongly recommended for these, as they are used in the manufacture of televisions, fridges, laptops, etc. The ink does not fall directly under RoHS as a component in its own right, but is assessed as part of the product as soon as a mark remains and must therefore comply with the RoHS limit values. In practice, this is further ensured by customer requirements.

The use of markers with electrical and electronic equipment is likewise an interesting topic. Due to the fact that markers are used for quality checks and production notes on some items, the markers also need to be RoHS compliant. It’s also possible that markers will be used during the manufacturing process, such as writing on circuit boards or cables, for instance. The edding 780 paint marker and 8404 aerospace marker are good examples of markers whose inks comply with the requirements of the RoHS Directive and can therefore be used for marking electrical appliances, including with regard to their disposal at the end of their life cycle.

Furthermore, packaging used to house the electronic or electrical product does not fall under the RoHS directive, however, it’s worth noting that anything that will stay with the item (such as a sticker on a laptop or paint used for decoration) is strongly advised to be RoHS compliant.