Singapore publishes RoHS-like regulation

Singapore's Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) publishes a RoHS-like regulation (Environmental Protection and Management A ct Order 2016) in the Government Gazette on 1 June. The Order comes into operation on 1 June 2017.
 
It amends second schedule of the Order by inserting restrictions of six hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products (EEP) as follows:
 

Substance	Restriction
Cadmium and its compounds in controlled EEE	Controlled EEE containing cadmium not exceeding 0.01% maximum concentration value by weight of homogeneous material in controlled EEE; Cadmium and its compounds in electrical contact; Cadmium in filter glass or glass used for reflectance standards; Cadmium in printing ink for the application of enamel on glass; Cadmium alloy as electrical or mechanical solder joint to electrical conductor located directly on voice coil in transducer used in high-powered loudspeaker with sound pressure level of 100 dB (A) or more; Cadmium and cadmium oxide in thick film paste used on aluminium bonded beryllium oxide.
Hexavalent chromium in controlled EEE	Controlled EEE containing hexavalent chromium not exceeding 0.1% maximum concentration value by weight of homogeneous material in controlled EEE; Hexavalent chromium as anticorrosion agent, not exceeding 0.75% by weight, in the cooling solution of carbon steel cooling system in absorption refrigerator.
Lead and its compounds in controlled EEE	Controlled EEE containing lead not exceeding 0.1% maximum concentration value by weight of homogeneous material in controlled EEE; Lead in glass of cathode ray tube; Lead, not exceeding 0.2% by weight, in glass of fluorescent tube; Lead, not exceeding 0.35% by weight, as an alloying element in steel for machining purposes or galvanised steel; Lead, not exceeding 0.4% by weight, as an alloying element in aluminium; Lead, not exceeding 4% by weight, in copper alloy; Lead in high melting temperature type solder (that is, lead-based alloy containing 85% by weight or more lead); Electrical and electronic component containing lead in –– (a) glass or ceramic (other than dielectric ceramic in capacitor); or (b) glass or ceramic matrix compound; Lead in dielectric ceramic in capacitor for rated voltage of 125 V AC , 250 V DC or higher; Lead in bearing shell or bush for refrigerant-containing compressor for heating, ventilation, air conditioning or refrigeration application; Lead in white glass for optical application; Lead in filter glass or glass used for reflectance standards; Lead in printing ink for the application of enamel on glass; Lead in solder for –– (a) completing viable electrical connection between semiconductor die and carrier within integrated circuit flip chip package; (b) soldering to machinedthrough hole discoidal or planar array ceramic multilayer capacitor; or (c) soldering thin copper wire (with diameter not exceeding 100 μm) in power transformer; Lead in soldering materials in mercury-free flat fluorescent lamp; Lead oxide in surface conduction electron emitter display used in structural element; Lead bound in crystal glass; Lead in cermet-based trimmer potentiometer element; Lead in plating layer of highvoltage diode on base of zinc borate glass body.
Mercury and its compounds in controlled EEE	Controlled EEE containing mercury not exceeding 0.1% maximum concentration value by weight of homogeneous material in controlled EEE; Cold cathode fluorescent lamp or external electrode fluorescent lamp, used for purposes other than general lighting, that –– (a) is not more than 500 mm long and contains not more than 3.5 mg of mercury; (b) is more than 500 mm long but not more than 1500 mm long and contains not more than 5 mg of mercury; or (c) is more than 1500 mm long and contains not more than 13 mg of mercury.
Polybrominated biphenyls in controlled EEE	Controlled EEE containing polybrominated biphenyls not exceeding 0.1% maximum concentration value by weight of homogeneous material in controlled EEE.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in controlled EEE	Controlled EEE containing polybrominated diphenyl ethers not exceeding 0.1% maximum concentration value by weight of homogeneous material in controlled EEE.

 
“Controlled electrical and electronic equipment” or “controlled EEE” means any air-conditioner, flat panel display television, mobile phone, phablet, portable computer, refrigerator or washing machine, that is designed for household use. However, batteries and accumulators, products designed for industrial use only and second-hand EEE are excluded from the scope.
 
It also deserves notice that EU RoHS also includes the restrictions for four phthalates. So we can conclude from the above that the scope for Singapore RoHS is much narrower.
 
C&K Testing reminds that manufacturers and importers of controlled EEE should submit RoHS declaration of conformity before selling products in Singapore.

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