ROHS CERTIFICATION (RESTRICTION OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE)
ROHS(Restriction of Hazardous Substance) : Since the early 21st Century, electronic waste and chemicals use have become more common, like luminescence of radium or the low melting point of 60/40 lead-tin alloy. But about its harmful effects, no one was aware, how its unnecessary exposure was dangerous to human health as well as the environment. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people have developed health problems such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. The use of hazardous substances gave birth to the Restriction of Hazardous Substance (RoHS) in February 2003 by European Union.
The RoHS directive took effect on 1 July 2006 and was required to be enforced and become law in each member state. RoHS restricted the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. Their major motive behind this step is to reduce the use of harmful substances and reduce the environmental effect and health impacts of electronics.
What is RoHS Certification?
RoHS stands for Restriction of Hazardous Substances, which is also known as the Directive 2002/95/EC. It
includes the restrictions for the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic
equipment. RoHS is a WEEE (Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment).
In India, demand for electronic products is increasing widely, due to which the environment and human health
are in danger. Furthermore, rapidly evolving technologies encourage consumers to discard electronic devices
quickly, resulting in an alarming increase in the amount of electronic trash. Keeping this in consideration
all the harmful effects of electronic waste, The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and the
Government of India implemented the Restriction of Hazardous Substance, which in India is known as
Electronic waste.
Depending on the size of the Indian legal entity and the type of imported devices, you may be subject to
WEEE or RoHS responsibilities if you produce or import electronic products in the Republic of India
Substances prohibited under RoHS Certification
- Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE)
- Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB)
- Hexavalent Chromium (CrVI)
- Cadmium (Cd)
- Lead (Pb)
PROCESS OF RoHS Certification
- Documentation Review:Evaluate and confirm the status of the documents, as well as the scope of testing that is required. Bills are reviewed, material declarations for each product and component are created, assembly drawings, conformance certifications, and test results are uploaded to the company's network, and a compliance file is created.
- Verification: RoHS Certification process starts with the testing. To evaluate the values of the 10 prohibited RoHS chemicals, on-site or XRF testing and/or lab phthalate solvent extraction testing is done to confirm the level of substances whether it is present below the RoHS threshold or not.
- End Product Analysis: After testing is done, the next step is the on-site inspection of all pertinent manufacturing processes for RoHS compliance. The auditing procedure entails a review of the goods in comparison to the control of forbidden substances, as well as a full factory inspection that includes quality management. Some auditing firms undertake annual follow-ups, which may include sampling in order to check compliance.
- Grant of Licence: Once the audit completes successfully, a RoHS certificate (also known as Certificate of conformity or Declaration of Conformity) is issued.
Timeline - 2 WEEKS
Renewal:RoHS is valid for Five Years. Re-certification is required if a product undergoes various changes like design, raw-material, or sourcing procedures.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
1. What is the importance of RoHS Certification?
The prohibited materials are extremely hazardous to the environment and damage landfills. In terms of exposure during disposal and manufacture, these are genuinely dangerous. It's critical to choose a company that takes RoHS certification seriously and can provide you with ISO9001 certification for a RoHS-compliant manufacturing facility.
2. How is RoHS Certification beneficial?
It helps in reducing heavy metal poisoning and also improves the reliability and brand name of the product in the market.
3. Is RoHS applicable to non-electronic products?
Technically, no, however, items sold in the EU must follow the EU's REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals) Directive. All RoHS-restricted compounds are also REACH-restricted. Thus if a product isn't RoHS-compliant, it's unlikely to be REACH-compliant as well.
4. How long is RoHS Certification valid?
RoHS certification is valid for 5 years.
5. How are products tested for RoHS Compliance?
X-ray fluorescence or XRF metal analyzers are used for screening and verification.