New List of RoHS Exemptions Issued by European

Commission

On 25 September 2010 a Decision of the European Commission was

published in the Official Journal of the European Union amending the
list of exemptions for RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC). Some exemptions
were deleted, some exemptions were given an expiration date, and
some exemptions had their given values reduced.

Exemptions for RoHS

The RoHS Directive bans the placing on the EU market of new electrical and electronic equipment containing
more than the permitted levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium VI, PBB and PBDE. Some exemptions
are granted for technical reasons. For the purpose of adapting to scientific progress made related to these
substances, the list of exemptions was re-worked and issued in full under 2010/571/EU.

Table Listing Exemptions and Dates

No. Exemption Scope and Dates
Mercury in single capped (compact) fluorescent
1
lamps not exceeding (per burner):
Expires on 31 December 2011; 3,5 mg may be used per
1 (a) For general lighting purposes < 30 W: 5 mg burner after 31 December 2011 until 31 December 2012;
2,5 mg shall be used per burner after 31 December 2012.
For general lighting purposes ≥ 30 W and < 50 Expires on 31 December 2011;
1 (b)
W: 5mg 3,5 mg may be used per burner after 31 December 2011.
For general lighting purposes ≥ 50 W and < 150
1 (c)
W: 5mg
1 (d) For general lighting purposes ≥ 150 W: 15 mg
For general lighting purposes with circular or
No limitation of use until 31 December 2011;
1 (e) square structural shape and tube diameter
7 mg may be used per burner after 31 December 2011.
≤17mm
1 (f) For special purposes: 5 mg
Mercury in double-capped linear fluorescent
2 (a) lamps for general lighting purposes not
exceeding (per lamp):
Tri-band phosphor with normal lifetime and a Expires on 31 December 2011;
2 (a) I
tube diameter < 9mm (e.g. T2): 5 mg 4 mg may be used per lamp after 31 December 2011.
Tri-band phosphor with normal lifetime and a
Expires on 31 December 2011;
2 (a) II tube diameter ≥ 9mm and ≤17 mm (e.g. T5):5 mg
3 mg may be used per lamp after 31 December 2011.
Tri-band phosphor with normal lifetime and a
Expires on 31 December 2011;
2 (a) III tube diameter > 17 mm and ≤ 28 mm (e.g.
3,5 mg may be used per lamp after 31 December 2011.
T8):5 mg
Tri-band phosphor with normal lifetime and a Expires on 31 December 2012;
2 (a) IV
tube diameter > 28 mm (e.g. T12) : 5 mg 3,5 mg may be used per lamp after 31 December 2012.
Tri-band phosphor with long lifetime (≥ 25 000 h): Expires on 31 December 2011;
2 (a) V
8mg 5 mg may be used per lamp after 31 December 2011.
Mercury in other fluorescent lamps not exceeding
2 (b)
(per lamp) :
Linear halophosphate lamps with tube > 28 mm
2 (b) I Expires on 13 April 2012.
(e.g. T 10 and T 12) : 10 mg
Non-linear halophosphate lamps ( all diameters) :
2 (b) II Expires on 13 April 2016.
15 mg
Non-linear tri-band phosphor lamps with tube No limitation of use until 31 December 2011;
2 (b) III
diameter > 17 mm (e.g. T9) 15 mg may be used per lamp after 31 December 2011.
Lamps for other general lighting and special No limitation of use until 31 December 2011;
2 (b) IV
purposes (e.g. induction lamps) 15 mg may be used per lamp after 31 December 2011.

Continued….
No Exemption Scope and Dates
Mercury in cold cathode fluorescent lamps and external
3 electrode fluorescent lamps (CCFL and EEFL) for special
purposes not exceeding (per lamp):
No limitation of use until 31 December 2011;
3 (a) Short length (≤ 500 mm) 3,5 mg may be used per lamp after
31 December 2011.
No limitation of use until 31 December 2011;
3 (b) Medium length ( > 500 mm and ≤ 1 500 mm) 5 mg may be used per lamp after
31 December 2011.
No limitation of use until 31 December 2011;
3 (c) Long length ( > 1 500 mm) 13 mg may be used per lamp after
31 December 2011.
No limitation of use until 31 December 2011;
4 (a) Mercury in other low pressure discharge lamps ( per lamp) 15 mg may be used per lamp after
31 December 2011.
Mercury in High Pressure Sodium (vapour) lamps for
4 (b) general lighting purposes not exceeding (per burner) in
lamps with improved colour rendering index Ra > 60:
No limitation of use until 31 December 2011;
4 (b) I P ≤ 155 W 30 mg may be used per burner after
31 December 2011.
No limitation of use until 31 December 2011;
4 (b) II 155 W < P < 405 W 40 mg may be used per burner after
31 December 2011.
No limitation of use until 31 December 2011;
4 (b) III P > 405 W 40 mg may be used per burner after
31 December 2011.
Mercury in High Pressure Sodium (vapour) lamps for
4 (c)
general lighting purposes not exceeding (per burner):
No limitation of use until 31 December 2011;
4 (c) I P ≤ 155 W 25 mg may be used per burner after
31 December 2011.
No limitation of use until 31 December 2011;
4 (c) II 155 W < P < 405 W 30 mg may be used per burner after
31 December 2011.
No limitation of use until 31 December 2011;
4 (c) III P > 405 W 40 mg may be used per burner after
31 December 2011.

4 (d) Mercury in High Pressure Mercury (vapour) lamps (HPMV) Expires on 13 April 2015.

4 (e) Mercury in metal halide lamps (MH)

Mercury in other discharge lamps for special purposes not

4 (f)
specifically mentioned in this Annex

5 (a) Lead in glass of cathode ray tubes

Lead in glass of fluorescent tubes not exceeding 0,2 % by

5 (b)
weight
Lead as an alloying element in steel for machining
6 (a) purposes and in galvanized steel containing up to 0,35 %
lead by weight
Lead as an alloying element in aluminium containing up to
6 (b)
0,4 % lead by weight

6 (c) Copper alloy containing up to 4 % lead by weight

Lead in high melting temperature type solders (i.e. lead-

7 (a)
based alloys containing 85% by weight or more lead)

Continued….
No Exemption Scope and Dates
Lead in solders for servers, storage and storage array
systems, network infrastructure equipment for switching,
7 (b)
signalling, transmission, and network management for
telecommunications
Electrical and electronic components containing lead in a
glass or ceramic other than dielectric ceramic in capacitors,
7 (c) I
e.g. piezoelectronic devices, or in a glass or ceramic matrix
compound
Lead in dielectric ceramic in capacitors for a rated voltage of
7 (c) II
125 V AC or 250 V DC or higher
Expires on 1 January 2013 and after that date
Lead in dielectric ceramic in capacitors for a rated voltage of
7 (c) III may be used in spare parts for EEE placed on
less than 125 V AC or 250 V DC
the market before 1 January 2013.
Expires on 1 January 2012 and after that date
Cadmium and its compounds in one shot pellet type thermal
8 (a) may be used in spare parts for EEE placed on
cut-offs
the market before 1 January 2012.
8 (b) Cadmium and its compounds in electrical contacts
Hexavalent chromium as an anticorrosion agent of the
9 carbon steel cooling system in absorption refrigerators up to
0,75 % by weight in the cooling solution
Lead in bearing shells and bushes for refrigerant-containing
9 (b) compressors for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and
refrigeration (HVACR) applications
May be used in spare parts for EEE placed on
11 (a) Lead used in C-press compliant pin connector systems
the market before 24 September 2010.
Expires on 1 January 2013 and after that date
Lead used in other than C-press compliant pin connector
11 (b) may be used in spare parts for EEE placed on
systems
the market before 1 January 2013.
Lead as coating material for the thermal conduction module May be used in spare parts for EEE placed on
12
C-ring the market before 24 September 2010.
13 (a) Lead in white glasses used for optical applications
Cadmium and lead in filter glasses and glasses used for
13 (b)
reflectance standards
Lead in solders consisting of more than two elements for the
Expires on 1 January 2011 and after that date
connection between the pins and the package of
14 may be used in spare parts for EEE placed on
microprocessors with a lead content of more than 80 % and
the market before 1 January 2011.
less than 85 % by weight
Lead in solders to complete a viable electrical connection
15 between semiconductor die and carrier within intergrated
circuit flip chip packages
16 Lead in linear incandescent lamps with silicate coated tubes Expires on 1 September 2013.
Lead halide as radiant agent in high intensity discharge
17
(HID) lamps used for professional reprography applications
Lead as activator in the fluorescent powder ( 1 % lead by
weight or less) of discharge lamps when used as specialty
18 (a) lamps for diazoprinting reprography, lithography, insect Expires on 1 January 2011.
traps, photochemical and curing processes containing
phosphorssuch as SMS (( Sr, Ba)2 MgSi2O7; Pb)
Lead as activator in the fluorescent powder ( 1 % lead by
weight or less) of discharge lamps when used as sun
18 (b)
tanning lamps containing phosphors such as BSP
(BaSi2O5;Pb)
Lead with PbBiSn-Hg and PbInSn-Hg in specific
compositions as main amalgam and with PbSn-Hg as
19 Expires on 1 June 2011.
auxiliary amalgam in very compact energy saving lamps
(ESL)
Lead oxide in glass used for bonding front and rear
20 substrates of flat fluorescent lamps used for Liquid Crystal Expires on 1 June 2011.
Displays (LCDs)

Continued….
 No Exemption Scope and dates
Lead and Cadmium in printing inks for the application of
21 enamels on glasses, such as borosilicate and soda lime
glasses
Lead in finishes of fine pitch components other than May be used in spare parts for EEE placed on
23
connectors with a pitch of 0,65 mm and less the market before 24 September 2010.

Lead in solders for the soldering to machined through hole

24
discoidal and planar array ceramic multilayer capacitors
Lead oxide in surface conduction electron emitter displays
25 (SED) used in structural elements, notably in the seal frit
and frit ring

26 Lead oxide in the glass envelope of black light blue lamps Expires on 1 June 2011.

Lead alloys as solder for transducers used in high-powered

27 (designated to operate for several hours at acoustic power Expired on 24 September 2010.
levels of 125 dB SPL and above) loudspeakers
Lead bound in crystal glass as defined in Annex I
29
(Categories 1,2,3 and 4) of Council Directive 69/493/EEC
Cadmium alloys as electrical/mechanical solder joints to
electrical conductors located directly on the voice coil in
30
transducers used in high-powered loudspeakers with sound
pressure levels of 100 dB (A) and more
Lead in soldering materials in mercury free flat fluorescent
31 lamps (which e.g. are used for liquid crystal displays, design
or industrial lighting)
Lead oxide in seal frit used for making window assemblies
32
for Argon and Krypton laser tubes

Lead in solders for the soldering of thin copper wires of 100

33
µm diameter and less in power transformers

34 Lead in cermet-based trimmer potentiometer elements

Mercury used as a cathode sputtering inhibitor in DC

36 Expired on 1 July 2010.
plasma displays with a content up to 30 mg per display

Lead in the plating layer of high voltage diodes on the basis

37
of a zinc borate glass body

Cadmium and cadmium oxide in thick film pastes used on

38
aluminium bonded beryllium oxide
Cadmium in colour converting II-VI LEDs (< 10 µg Cd per
2
39 mm of light- emitting area) for use in solid state illumination Expires on 1 July 2014.
or display systems CONTACT INFORMATION

Please contact your customer service

representative or email:
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www.bureauveritas.fr/cps, www.bureauveritas.co.uk/cps, or email: cps-hamburg@de.bureauveritas.com.

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