RoHS info

[soundmasterg]

Remembering the RoHS discussions a month or two ago, I came upon this site where pro audio producers were talking with each other about the RoHS and making their products compliant. It goes back to before the regulations went into effect and has some detail and links on there that I would have never thought of. Some very good info that may apply to those of you here who export to any countries that have RoHS rules. On another note, it looks like California is going to follow suit and enact some if not all of the RoHS rules...and if they do it, you know other states will follow. A bunch of short-sighted morons is what I think of the people who made RoHS law, but anyway, here's the link. Hope some of you find it useful.

Greg

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/geeks...directive.html

[kevinT]

it looks like California is going to follow suit and enact some if not all of the RoHS rules...and if they do it, you know other states will follow. A bunch of short-sighted morons is what I think of the people who made RoHS law, but anyway, here's the link. Hope some of you find it useful.

Greg

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/geeks...directive.html

Yep...Cali will probably be the first to adopt the RoHS rules. CA are hard asses regarding the environment (which is ok to a certain extent, and when you're not giving breaks to certain industris). They have the strictist regulations for air quality of all the States particularly VOCs. CA's regs are even tougher than the Federal requirments.

I actually had to change the formula for my Fretboard Cleaner and Conditioner to meet the new VOC limit that took effect on JAN 1 for the classification of wood cleaners/polishes. The reg sets the limit to 4% VOC by weight (It's also based on delivery method. Its higher for aerosols) which is hardly anything. This time the reg worked in my favor because I was actually able to improve my formula to offer to customers. However, with tougher rules, for certain chemicals/materials, it will eventually affect the quality and longevity of products.

It just seems ridiculous to me that they make a big deal about a small 4 oz bottle of natural oils, when you have trucks/buses, and factories, for example, spewing out all kinds of crap into the environment everyday.

[David King]

Less than 30% of pollution comes from measurable point sources. The rest comes from the millions of folks minding their own business and oiling their fingerboards. What ya going to do? Every one bitches because the whole world belongs to them and they think it's their god given right to shit anywhere they please. Well I don't disagree. I don't have kids and if I did I certainly wouldn't care about what happens to their kids because I'll be dead and gone anyway.

[soundmasterg]

Well personally I try to recycle and not pollute as much as I can, but I think the RoHS stuff, specifically with their lead-free solder requirements, is trying to force something to happen before the alternatives are ready. Lead-free solder is clearly inferior at this time to leaded solder in a lot of ways, and any products made with it will be having tin whisker problems after 5-10 years of manufacture, leading to a lot more waste and landfill pollution. I don't see how that helps anyone. They went with leaded solder in the 30's because there were no reliable alternatives, and they still haven't solved it.