On 20 May 2015, the European Parliament rejected the Commission’s proposal in January 2015 to extend the period during which cadmium can be used in illumination and display lighting appliances such as television sets and computer monitors.

Under the 2011 recast RoHS Directive, the use of cadmium in televisions and lighting had been exempted until 1 July 2014 by Exemption 39 of Annex III of the RoHS Directive. However, in line with the provisions of Article 5(3) and Annex V of the RoHS Directive for granting, renewing or revoking an exemption, which allow stakeholders to apply for an exemption of the restricted substance, the Commission received requests to extend the exemption. In accordance with Article 5(5) of the RoHS Directive, the existing exemption, although technically expired, remains valid until the Commission had made its decision on the renewal application.

In January 2015, the European Commission proposed extending the exemption for cadmium from the RoHS restriction until July 2017. The European Commission argued that cadmium-free quantum dot technology, i.e. a reliable technical alternative, is not technically available yet. The Commission based itself on a report issued by the Öko-Institut on its behalf. The report, which was published in April 2014, estimates that prototypes of cadmium-free quantum dots would not be available until 2019, with commercialisation following in 2021.

A resolution opposing the Commission’s proposal was drafted by several MEPs on 13 May 2015. Their main concerns were the safety of European consumers and the protection of the environment. Pointedly, at a meeting of the Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee on 7 May 2015, Swedish MEP Jytte Guteland of the Socialists & Democrats stated that “there is a great deal of unease about the implications [the Commission’s proposal] might have on human health”. In effect, according to these MEPs, extending the exemption of cadmium in the RoHS Directive would allow EU consumers to potentially be exposed to a hazardous toxin, even though there are safer cadmium-free alternatives commercially available.

Inevitably, parties who had lobbied against the lifting of the exemption are less pleased with the European Parliament’s vote. The Chair emeritus of the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials, Jim Willis, said that a ban on cadmium risks decreasing the energy efficiency of televisions.

The European Parliament’s rejection of the Commission proposal to extend the exemption does not amount to an automatic “ban” on this application of cadmium. Rather, it will lead to a new assessment of cadmium.

In June 2015, (EU) 2015/863 that amending RoHS 2.0（2011/65/EU）) to include four phthalates (DEHP, BBP, DBP and DIBP) in the list of restricted substances (ANNEX II) on 4 June 2015.

Reminder: relevant manufacturers shall keep an eye on the news on any change to RoHS Directive and develop more eco-friendly substitutes to avoid economic loss due to the stricter regulation of RoHS on electrical & electronics.