India’s ROHS turns up the heat

India’s version, which is moving closer toward its May 2012 implementation, limits the use of 20 substances from electronics products for sale in India. Global distributor element14, which provides updates and analysis of global environmental legislation, has posted a summary of India’s ROHS on its Web site. According to element14, the proposals on the disposal of WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) do not say whether these substances are restricted or that manufacturers should attempt to avoid them; do not state whether the threshold values refer to the concentrations in the finished product, in homogeneous materials, or in something else; provide no exemptions or any mechanism for requesting exemptions; and lack clarity of limits.

Inconsistencies among global environmental laws are ongoing concerns in the electronics industry, which must greatly modify processes and materials to meet ROHS requirements. The ban of lead from solders in manufacturing has been particularly irksome because unleaded substitutes have worse performance than do leaded substances. The element14 proposal also notes the next set of challenges, including a requirement that medical equipment adhere to the ban, whereas the EU version currently does not. India’s ROHS also bans substances, including some flame retardants, that have no viable alternatives.