Study for the review of the list of restricted substances under RoHS 2 : final report

Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) contains an increasing variety of organic and inorganic chemical substances. Some of these substances have properties which are hazardous to human health and/or the environment. According to the RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC) the use of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) in EEE has been banned/restricted since 2006. In 2011 the recast of the Directive (RoHS2) came into force. It aims inter alia at specifying the conditions for adapting the RoHS Directive to the technical and scientific progress. This includes adaptation of the list of substances being restricted in EEE (Annex II to the Directive). In particular it aims at a better prevention of risks to human health and the environment, with a particular focus on workers involved in the management of WEEE.