China market | The Second Step of China’s RoHS will enter into effect on March 12, 2019 for selected EEPs in first Batch

Eurofins newsflash Electrical and electronics

The Second Step of China’s RoHS will enter into effect on March 12, 2019 for selected EEPs in first Batch

On March 12^th 2018, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued "The Standard Management Catalogue of Limiting the Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products (EEPs) (first batch)" and "the Exemption List to the Use of Restricted Substances in the Standard Management Catalogue". These two standards are used to implement the second step of Management Methods (Management Methods for Restricted Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products).

The Management Methods adopt a two-step approach:

As a first step, a declaration of hazardous substances is required if the concentration of restricted substances in the products is over the limits.
As a second step, the products that are included in “The Standard Management Catalogue of Limiting the Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products” have to be subject to concentration limits for hazardous substances except those in the Exemption List.

Besides this, Article 18 of the Management Methods points out that the authorities will develop a “conformity assessment system” that manufacturers will have to follow in order to comply with the requirements, but it has yet to be formalised.

From March 2019, these two standards will come into force.

EEPs categories in first Batch include*:

Refrigerators (cubage ≤ 800 L)
air conditioners (rated refrigerating capacity ≤ 14000 W)
washing machines (rated washing capacity ≤ 10 kg)
electric water heaters (cubage ≤ 500 L)
printers (printing format ≤ A3 and printing speed ≤ 60 sheet/min)
copiers (printing format ≤ A3 and printing speed ≤ 60 sheet/min)
fax machines
televisions
monitors
microcomputers
mobile communication devices
telephones

* These product categories are described in the scope of the conformity assessment scheme of hazardous substances in electrical appliances and electronic products. It is the finished product which will define the applicability of the catalogue. The catalogue states that the listed products are out of scope when used as part of other products which are not listed. However, when products are not clearly identified for end use and are sold separately, they fall within the scope of this catalogue.

Restricted hazardous substances**:

Lead and lead compounds (0,1 %)
Mercury and mercury compounds (0,1 %)
Cadmium and cadmium compounds (0,01 %)
Chromium VI compounds (0,1 %)
Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) (0,1 %)
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) (0,1 %)

** Similar to the EU RoHS Directive, some applications are exempt from the substance restrictions.

Applicable standards (Including amendments) for all EEPs

Labelling – SJ/T 11364-2014
Requirements of concentration limits – GB/T 26572-2011
Test methods – GB/T 26125-2011, GB/T 29783-2013
Specifications for technical documentation - GB/T36560-2018