I am somewhat surprised at how little discussion this announcement has
raised.
Perhaps folks haven't digested it yet, but it is soliciting input on 22
additional exempted uses of some of the banned substances.
Since good soup needs a lot of stirring, I offer the following.......

In reading through the first,

1 - Lead in tin whisker resistant coatings for fine pitch applications,

There does not seem to be consensus as to what a fine pitched component
is. So far the following have input into the discussion:
EICTA - No definition of fine pitch
FCI - Fine pitch (<1mm) connectors
HP - fine-pitch components are defined as those with electrical
terminations spaced with centers 0.65 mm or less apart.
JBCE (Japan Business Council in Europe) - No Definition
Sony - Lead used as whisker suppresser in electroplated tin coating for
FPC/FFC and their connecters which have an inner distance between pins ?
500 ?m should be excluded.

Is there a standard definition of Fine pitch in the industry?

They are soliciting input on specific language for the exemption. Is
there any data which would suggest that 500, 650 or 1000 would make a
better cut off?

Dan

__________________________________________
Dan Kallin           Environmental & Safety Engineer
   Bose Corporation       Framingham, MA 01701
                 [log in to unmask]
                 508-766-7136  (phone)
                 508-766-7086   (fax)
__________________________________________

-----Original Message-----
From: Leadfree [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Fern Abrams
Sent: Monday, December 20, 2004 10:43 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [LF] FW: Stakeholders consultation on Adaptation to scientific
and technical progress under Directive 2002/95/EC for the purpose of a
possible amendment of the Annex.
Importance: High


Subject: Stakeholders consultation on Adaptation to scientific and
technical progress under Directive 2002/95/EC for the purpose of a
possible amendment of the Annex.
Importance: High




Subject: Stakeholders consultation on Adaptation to scientific and
technical progress under Directive 2002/95/EC for the purpose of a
possible amendment of the Annex.

Dear Madam/Sir,

Article 4(1) of Directive 2002/95/EC on the restriction of the use of
certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment
(ROHS) provides 'that from 1 July 2006, new electrical and electronic
equipment put on the market does not contain lead, mercury, cadmium,
hexavalent chromium, PBB or PBDE.'

The annex to the Directive lists a limited number of applications of
lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium, which are exempted from
the requirements of Article 4(1).  This list of exemptions might need to
be amended as additional requests for exemptions have been submitted by
industry;

Article 5(1)(b) of Directive 2002/95/EC provides that materials and
components can be exempted from the substance restrictions contained in
Article 4(1) if their elimination or substitution via design changes or
materials and components which do not require any of the materials or
substances referred to therein is technically or scientifically
impracticable, or where the negative environmental, health and/or
consumer safety impacts caused by substitution outweigh the
environmental, health and/or consumer safety benefits thereof.

The Commission has received from industry requests for applications to
be exempted from the requirements of the directive that go beyond the
applications listed in the annex of the directive.

According to Article 5 (2) of Directive 2002/95/EC before amending the
annex, the Commission should consult the relevant stakeholders.
Therefore I like to inform you that my services intend to launch an
on-line public stakeholder consultation on the different items as
mentioned above which will run from 17 December 2004 to 11 February
2005.

The consultation will be launched with the publication of a consultation
document on the following web page:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/waste/weee_index.htm
<http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/waste/weee_index.htm>  (under
events, new).

You are invited to inform your national stakeholders of this
consultation round and invite them to send written comments
electronically (preferably in pdf format).  Interested parties are
invited to send their comments by 11 February 2005 at the latest by
e-mail to [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>  or by post
to:  European Commission DG Environment, Unit G4 - Consultation
Directive 2002/95/EC, B-1049 Brussels, Belgium.

Yours sincerely,

Marianne KLINGBEIL


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internet and electronic mail from Commission equipment:

"The views expressed are purely those of the writer and may not in any
circumstances be regarded as stating an official position of the
European Commission. A binding interpretation of Community law can only
be given by the European Court of Justice".

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