Manufacturers Warned About Large Number of EU RAPEX Notifications for Electrical Products

The EU’s RAPEX system has recently issued a large number of notifications against electrical products that don’t conform to RoHS and POP regulations. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) May 08, 2019 - Stakeholders should be aware that since later 2018 there have been multiple notifications relating to non-conformity in electrical and electronic (EE) products offered onto the market in the European Union (EU).

Notifications issued through the EU’s Rapid Alert System for dangerous and non-food products, RAPEX, show that dozens of EE products have been found to contain substances that exceed restriction limits under the Directive on the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS).

Examples of recent notifications include:
• Headphones - solder contains lead (54%)
• Earbuds - solder contains lead (83%)
• Earphones - contains lead and cadmium
• Foldable desk lamp - solder contains lead (71%)
• Electric lamp - solder contains lead (65%) and the plastic cord contains short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) (0.3%)
• Torch - solder contains lead (50%)
• Torch - solder contains cadmium (0.39%) and lead (48%)
• LED helmet light - solder contains lead (46%)
• RCA Cable - contains lead (0.3%)
• Drone with lights - solder contains cadmium (0.1%) and lead (79%)
• Safety reflector with LED - solder contains lead (81%) and the plastic contains SCCPs (0.931%)
• Reindeer kit (headwear with light) - solder of the battery compartment contains lead (79%)
• Fancy-dress accessory (bow tie with light) - solder in the battery compartment contains lead (68%)
• Tamagotchi - solder in three different places on the toy contain lead and cadmium in concentrations above the limit values
• Electric ride-on car - lead concentrations in the solders exceed limit values
• Music Keyboard - four solders in the toy contain lead (61%) and cadmium (0.03%)
• Toy mobile phone - solders contain cadmium (0.19%) and lead (77.3%)
• LED toy - solder contains lead and cadmium

In most cases the product was withdrawn from the marketplace, and in some cases the company involved was reported to the prosecutor. In the case of the toy mobile phones, the products were destroyed.

The list above represents just some of the EE product notifications that have been issued through RAPEX since late 2018. In the majority of instances, the reason for notification was an excessive level of lead and/or cadmium in solders. It is also clear, SCCPs are being identified at levels above proscribed limits in some plastic materials. This would mean the product also fails to conform to the Regulation on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP).

Stakeholders should also be aware that new restrictions on four phthalates – DEHP, BBP, DBP and DIBP – will come into effect from:
• July 22, 2019 - RoHS Annex I product categories 1 to 7, 10 and 11
• July 22, 2021 - RoHS Annex I product categories 8 and 9, Medical and Monitoring Devices
It should be assumed compliance with these will be robustly monitored by Member States.

The increased frequency of notifications is a sign that the monitoring services of Member States are more forcefully enforcing RoHS compliance checks. Stakeholders are advised to check their products comply with the latest EU regulations.

SGS RoHS Services
Through a global network of laboratories and our requirements experts, SGS offers advisory services on requirements and compliance solutions to support companies affected by this Directive, be it for their conformity assessment or risk management in the supply chain. SGS offers RoHS testing services in laboratories accredited for the international standards applicable to these requirements and SGS RoHS Certification which is a voluntary product certification scheme. Learn more about SGS’s RoHS Services [www.sgs.com/en/consumer-goods-retail/electrical-and-electronics/audio-video-and-household-appliances/rohs]

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full EU Member State Authorities Notify a Large Number of RoHS and POP Violations SafeGuardS. [www.sgs.com/en/news/2019/04/safeguards-05619-eu-member-state-authorities-notify-a-large-number-of-rohs-and-pop-violations]

Subscribe here, www.sgs.com/subscribesg, to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Li Li
Technical Support, EET RSTS
Tel: + (86) 21 61405135
Email: crs.media ( @ ) sgs dot com
Website: www.sgs.com/cgnr

About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 97,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.

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