On 8 February 2021, the European Commission officially published the “Study to support the review of the list of restricted substances under the RoHS Directive” on its website.
The final report dated November 2020 was prepared in the frame of the RoHS Pack 15 study by the external consultants Oeko-Institut and Fraunhofer IZM and included the assessment of beryllium and its compounds, among other materials assessed.
The study recommends not to restrict Beryllium and compounds under RoHS and acknowledges the material’s strategic value for many industry sectors due to its unique combination of properties that are unmatched by any other material. Additionally, the study considers the continued use of Beryllium in electrical and electronic equipment beneficial to end users in terms of product performance, reliability and product lifecycle.
The final study is available on the European Commission’s website here.
While the final report still contains some inaccurate information on Beryllium and its compounds, BeST appreciates that several of its previous commentshave been taken into account and that Beryllium has been removed from the list of Substances under Prioritisation.
BeST continues to endorse and support the recommendation made by the external consultants not to restrict beryllium and its compounds under RoHS.
Out of the seven substances prioritised for assessment of restriction, only two are recommended to be included in RoHS Annex II: Medium chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) and Alkanes, 14-17, chloro and Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBP-A, flame retardant).
The Commission has yet to decide on the form of the implementing measure: via the ongoing review of the RoHS Directive or via a delegated act. In either case, the outcome is expected to be presented by the Commission in the first quarter of 2022.
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