RoHS Directive (Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS), which refers to directive 2011/65/EU, was published by the European Union (EU) aiming to reduce the amount of hazardous substances used in electrical and electronic products. Since then, several exemptions were granted to specific applications that are scientifically or technically infeasible to be replaced.
The exemptions of RoHS 2.0 (2011/65/EU) are listed in Annex III and Annex IV. The exemptions in Annex III are suitable for all EEE. Meanwhile, the exemptions in Annex IV are only suitable for medical devices (category 8) and monitoring and control instruments (category 9).
The exemption updates in Annex III and Annex IV are listed in the adjacent tables.
Table 1: Updated exemptions to Annex III
| REGULATION NO. |
ENTRY NO. |
EXEMPTION |
EXPIRY DATE |
| (EU) 2020/361 |
9 |
Hexavalent chromium as an anticorrosion agent of the carbon steel cooling system in absorption refrigerators up to 0,75 % by weight in the cooling solution |
Applies to categories 8, 9 and 11 and expires on:
- 21 July 2021 for categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments,
- 21 July 2023 for category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices,
- 21 July 2024 for category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for category 11.
|
| (EU) 2020/361 |
9(a)-I |
Up to 0,75 % hexavalent chromium by weight, used as an anticorrosion agent in the cooling solution of carbon steel cooling systems of absorption refrigerators (including minibars) designed to operate fully or partly with an electrical heater, having an average utilized power input < 75 W at constant running conditions |
Applies to categories 1-7 and 10 and expires on 5 March 2021. |
| (EU) 2020/361 |
9(a)-II |
Up to 0,75 % hexavalent chromium by weight, used as an anticorrosion agent in the cooling solution of carbon steel cooling systems of absorption refrigerators:
- designed to operate fully or partly with an electrical heater, having an average utilized power input ≥ 75 W at constant running conditions,
- designed to fully operate with non-electrical heater
|
Applies to categories 1-7 and 10 and expires on 21 July 2021.
|
| (EU)2020/365 |
41 |
Lead in solders and termination finishes of electrical and electronic components and finishes of printed circuit boards used in ignition modules and other electrical and electronic engine control systems, which for technical reasons must be mounted directly on or in the crankcase or cylinder of handheld combustion engines (classes SH:1, SH:2, SH:3 of Directive 97/68/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (*)) |
Applies to all categories and expires on:
- 31 March 2022 for categories 1 to 7, 10 and 11;
- 21 July 2021 for categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments;
- 21 July 2023 for category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices;
- 21 July 2024 for category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments.
|
Table 2: Updated exemptions to Annex IV
| REGULATION NO. |
ENTRY NO. |
EXEMPTION |
EXPIRY DATE |
| (EU) 2020/360 |
37 |
Lead in platinized platinum electrodes used for conductivity measurements where at least one of the following conditions applies:
a) wide-range measurements with a conductivity range covering more than 1 order of magnitude (e.g. range between 0,1 mS/m and 5 mS/m) in laboratory applications for unknown concentrations;
b) measurements of solutions where the accuracy of +/– 1 % of the sample range and where high corrosion resistance of the electrode is required for any of the following:
- solutions with an acidity < pH 1;
- solutions with an alkalinity > pH 13;
- corrosive solutions containing halogen gas;
c) measurements of conductivities above 100 mS/m that must be performed with portable instruments. |
31 December 2025 |
| (EU)2020/364 |
44 |
Cadmium in radiation-tolerant video camera tubes designed for cameras with a center resolution greater than 450 TV lines which are used in environments with ionizing radiation exposure exceeding 100 Gy/hour and a total dose in excess of 100kGy |
Applies to category 9. Expires on 31 March 2027. |
| (EU)2020/366 |
41 |
Lead as a thermal stabilizer in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) used as the base material in amperometric, potentiometric and conductometric electrochemical sensors which are used in in-vitro diagnostic medical devices for the analysis of blood and other body fluids and body gases. |
Expires on 31 March 2022. |
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