Hazardous Substances

• Substances at the top of the RoHS controlled list are lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated diphenyls and polybrominated biphenyl ethers. More substances will be included in forthcoming RoHS directives.
  
  

Effected Industries

• Compliance with RoHS is necessary is mandatory for all businesses that manufacture or market their electrical and electronic products in the EU. There are no exemptions, and even third-party suppliers of components, resellers and distributors have to abide by the laws.
  
  

Environmental Impact

• The listed substances have been identified as posing the most significant threats to worker safety in manufacturing procedures, and to the environment when goods containing these harmful substances are disposed of in landfills.
  
  

Penalty

• Non-compliance to RoHS is strictly penalized. Electronic products in the EU are screened with XRF (X-ray fluorescence) metal analyzers that can read how much of a listed harmful substance is present in a product.
  
  

RoHS 2

• Revisions upon the original RoHS directives will be implemented from 2012. Dubbed RoHS 2, the new laws will include a more comprehensive list of SVCH (substances of very high concern), and enforce stronger surveillance systems.