Study to support the review of the list of restricted substances and to assess a new exemption request under RoHS 2 - Pack 15

Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS 2) restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). Article 6 of RoHS 2 requires that the list of restricted substances in Annex II be reviewed periodically and stipulates rules for amending the list. For this purpose, the study envisioned an update of the methodology for identification and prioritization of hazardous substances of relevance to EEE. Additionally, a detailed assessment of the following seven substances (or substance groups) was planned, with the aim of establishing whether their presence in EEE should be restricted through the Directive in the future: Diantimony trioxide (flame retardant); Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBP-A, flame retardant); Indium phosphide (InP); Medium chain chlorinated paraffins; (MCCPs) - Alkanes, 14-17, chloro; Beryllium and its compounds; Nickel sulphate and nickel sulfamate; Cobalt dichloride and cobalt sulphate. Article 5(1)(a) provides a basis for excluding certain applications from these provisions through the inclusion of materials and components of EEE for specific applications in the lists in Annexes III and IV. This article further specifies the criteria on which such exemptions can be justified. On the basis of the criteria, evaluations of various exemption requests have been performed over the past years. Aim of the study was to compile a guideline on the basis of the methodology used in the past to evaluate exemption requests, while also including guidance on elements related to life cycle analysis (LCA) for the comparison of quantified impacts, where the application of a RoHS substance may be associated with lower impacts on health and the environment in comparison to available substitutes. Additionally, one exemption request for “Cadmium in luminescent material for on-chip application on LED semiconductor chips” was to be evaluated.