TL;DR: RoHS restricts 10 hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment sold in the EU. Most Chinese factories can produce RoHS-compliant products, but you need testing certificates to prove compliance. Cost: $500–$3,000. Testing turnaround: 5–10 business days.
What Is RoHS?
RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances, Directive 2011/65/EU, amended by RoHS 3 / 2015/863) restricts the use of 10 hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) sold in the EU. Many other countries have adopted similar restrictions (China RoHS, Korea RoHS, UAE RoHS).
Restricted Substances
| Substance | Max Limit | Commonly Found In |
|---|---|---|
| Lead (Pb) | 0.1% (1000 ppm) | Solder, paint, PVC stabilizers |
| Mercury (Hg) | 0.1% | Switches, LCD backlights |
| Cadmium (Cd) | 0.01% (100 ppm) | Batteries, pigments, plating |
| Hexavalent Chromium (Cr6+) | 0.1% | Anti-corrosion coatings |
| PBB | 0.1% | Flame retardants in plastics |
| PBDE | 0.1% | Flame retardants in plastics |
| DEHP | 0.1% | Plasticizers in PVC |
| BBP | 0.1% | Plasticizers |
| DBP | 0.1% | Plasticizers |
| DIBP | 0.1% | Plasticizers |
How to Ensure RoHS Compliance
- Request material declarations: Ask your Chinese supplier for material composition data on all components.
- Third-party testing: Send product samples to an accredited lab (SGS, TÜV, Intertek) for XRF screening and chemical analysis.
- Component-level compliance: Verify that all individual components (ICs, capacitors, cables, plastics) are RoHS-compliant.
- Maintain documentation: Keep test reports and supplier declarations for 10+ years.
Testing Costs
- XRF screening (non-destructive): $200–$500 for basic screening of homogeneous materials.
- Full chemical analysis: $1,000–$3,000 for destructive testing of all restricted substances.
- Component-level testing: $50–$200 per component (PCB, cable, plastic housing, etc.).
- Full product testing: $1,500–$3,000 for a complete product with multiple material types.