EBME Forums Forums Maintenance Technical Assistance Rohs WEEE

What effect if any will RoHs or WEEE have on us.

Medical Equipment and Military Equipment are exempt as far as I know since lead free solder are not yet proven to provide reliable solder joints. Only thing is that we can no longer just landfill old printed circuit boards and NiCad & Lead Acid batteries now have to be disposed of by specialists.

Should we still be putting new equipment in with ni-cad batteries though

Nickel Metal Hydride batteries are nowadays a good substitute, equivalent AH or better BUT you have no control over what goes into OEM battery packs.

I thought the directive only applied to equipment manufactured after the WEEE comes into force, the law couldn't make this legislation retrospective. Would be good to get this confirmed or dispelled.

It would be more productive if the discussion was split into two parts - one for ROHS and one for WEEE. Although related (both came from Brussels at the same time and both refer to electrical and medical equipment) they are quite separate.
The WEEE directives and forthcoming legislation will affect all electrical and electronic equipment at the end of their life. ROHS affects new equipment only - there is no requirement for example to remove lead solder from existing equipment.

For further details of the implications of WEEE on end of life disposal of equipment and how you can handle the implications contact me directly on ckmedical@hotmail.co.uk

The RS web site (http://rswww.com/) has a link on its front page to a section on RoHS with quite a good FAQ section on RoHS and WEEE. There is even a section where you can post a specific question to an expert consultant
Robert

I am attending a WEEE and RoHS day in Birmingham on 04th July organised by the National Performance Advisory Group for the NHS & the Association of British Healthcare Industries.

The following link should provide further info: www.npag.org.uk/NPAGNationalevents.htm

Envirowise also organise free seminars, however, these are geared more towards manufacturers but still provide some useful information.

I'm quite happy for the topic to be split but as long as people are clear which one they are referring to. I may be able to follow with out the need to split.
What I would really like is someone to expand on is
1. Does anyone intend to ask if new equipment is Rohs compliant on their pre purchase questionnaire?
2. Although old equipment is exempt does all equipment sold from July have to comply (obviously only in the union) or does new but pre-designed equipment also get the exemption.
I would have thought not as there has been a period of prior warning that the regs. Were coming in.

How much prior warning is necessary? Both WEEE & ROHS have been in the pipeline for about 4 years!