Miljøprojekt, 1134 – Evaluation of the Danish Statutory Order on Lead

Evaluation of the Danish Statutory Order on Lead

Annex 2 EU Directives

EU Directive 2002/95/EC (RoHS Directive)

In Denmark, the RoHS Directive is implemented in Danish law by Statutory Order no. 1008 of 12/10/2004 on import and sale of electrical and electronic equipment containing lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE).

According to the Directive and the Statutory Order, import and sale of electrical and electronic equipment containing lead etc. are prohibited as from 1 July 2006. This ban also applies to spare parts for the repair of such equipment. For lead, a limit value of 0.1 per cent by weight has been fixed for the homogeneous components of the products.

However, the Directive and the Statutory Order only apply to the following categories of electrical and electronic equipment:

1. Large household appliances

2. Small household appliances

3. IT and telecommunications equipment

4. Consumer products

5. Lighting equipment

6. Electrical and electronic tools (excluding large-scale stationary industrial tools)

7. Toys and sport and leisure equipment

8. Medical equipment (excluding all implanted and infected products).

Moreover, equipment for specifically military purposes, medical devices and monitoring and regulation instruments are not covered by the provisions.

In addition, the following specific applications of lead are so far exempt from the prohibition:

Lead in glass of cathode ray tubes, electronic components and fluorescent tubes.
Lead as an alloying element in steel containing up to 0,35 % lead by weight, aluminium containing up to 0,4 % lead by weight and as a copper alloy containing up to 4 % lead by weight.
Lead in high melting temperature type solders (i.e. tin-lead solder alloys containing more than 85 % lead).
Lead in solders for servers, storage and storage array systems, network infrastructure equipment for switching, signalling, transmission as well as network management for telecommunications.
Lead in electronic ceramic parts (e.g. piezoelectronic devices).
Lead used in compliant pin connector systems.
Lead as a coating material for the thermal conduction module c-ring.
Lead and cadmium in optical and filter glass.
Lead in solders consisting of more than two elements for the connection between the pins and the package of microprocessors with a lead content of more than 80 % and less than 85 % by weight.
Lead in solders to complete a viable electrical connection between semiconductor die and carrier within integrated circuit Flip Chip packages.
Lead in lead/bronze bearing bushes and bearing liners.

At a meeting on 15 February 2006 of the EU Technical Advisory Committee for the RoHS Directive, it was decided to introduce the following exemptions for lead [Nørlem 2006]. With this decision, it is considered certain that the exemptions will be formally adopted by the European Commission within a very short time [Nørlem 2006].

Lead in linear incandescent lamps with silicate coated tubes.
Lead halide as radiant agent in High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps used for professional reprography applications.
Lead as activator in the fluorescent powder (1 % lead by weight or less) of discharge lamps when used as sun tanning lamps containing phosphors such as BSP (BaSi₂O₅:Pb) as well as when used as speciality lamps for diazo-printing reprography, lithography, insect traps, photochemical and curing processes containing phosphorus such as SMS ((Sr,Ba)₂MgSI₂O_7::Pb).
Lead with PbBiSn-Hg and PbInSn-Hg in specific compositions as main amalgam and with PbSn-Hg as auxiliary amalgam in very compact Energy Saving Lamps (ESL).
Lead oxide in glass used for bonding front and rear substrates of flat fluorescent lamps used for Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD).

European Parliament and Council Directive 2000/53/EC of 18th September, 2000, on scrapped motor vehicles,

In accordance with the Directive materials and components of vehicles put on the market after 1 July 2003 shall not contain for instance lead.

However, the Directive applies only to the following categories of vehicles:

Motor vehicles for private transport with a maximum of eight seats, plus driver’s seat.
Motor vehicles for goods transport with a maximum weight not exceeding 3.75 tonnes.
Three-wheel motor vehicles, as defined in Directive 92/61/EEC, but excluding three-wheeled motor bikes.

Besides, the following specific applications are so far exempt form the prohibition (in accordance with Council Decision of 20 September 2005):

Lead as an alloying element (incl. galvanised steel up to 0.35 per cent by weight
- Steel for machining and galvanised steel with a lead content of up to 0.35 per cent by weight until 1 July 2008, and after this date up to 0.4 per cent by weight.
- copper up to 4 per cent by weight
- lead/bronze bearing bushes and bearing liners until 1 July 2008
Batteries
Vibration suppression
Vulcanisers and stabilisers for elastomers used for liquids and in propelling devices with up to 0.5 per cent by weight of lead - until 1 July 2006.
Binders in elastomers used in propelling devices with up to 0.5 per cent by weight of lead
Lead in copper in friction materials in brake linings with a lead content not exceeding 0.4 per cent by weight - until 1 July 2007.
Lead in valve seats for motor types developed before 1 July 2003 – until 1 July 2007
Electrical components containing lead bound in a glass or ceramic matrix, except for glass in lamps and glazing on spark plugs.
Pyrotechnic starters in vehicles which are type-approved before 1 July 2006, and spare parts for such equipment.