In February 2003, the European Union adopted the Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS) Directive that restricts the use of Lead (Pb), Cadmium, Mercury, Hrexavalent Chromium, and PBB/PBDE flame retardant materials in certain classes of consumer electronic products sold throughout Europe. The RoHS directive took effect on July 1, 2006.
Identifying Pb-free materials employed in electrical and electronic equipment is critical to printed circuit board assembly, recycling, repair and rework, as Lead (Pb) is the most commonly used element restricted for use by the RoHS directive.
To date, no standardized identification system has been established to identify lead-free materials. As a result, a great deal of confusion exists within the marketplace, with certain manufacturers creating new ordering codes that designate RoHS compliant products, while others employ temporary designators, and still others have chosen not to modify their pre-existing component ordering designations to accommodate RoHS compliance.
