RoHS: New Testing Standards Published

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) announced the

publishing of new revised testing standards (IEC 62321). This standard
is used for testing of RoHS compliance and is now divided into several
parts.
Background
European Directive 2011/65/EU, known as RoHS Directive, defines limits for Lead,
Cadmium, Mercury, Chromium VI and two types of flame retardants (PBB & PBDE) in
electrical and electronic equipment. For compliance testing, the standard IEC 62321
(Determination of levels of six regulated substances) is used. Now, this standard is
reworked to ensure technical progress and to introduce new methodologies as well.
Changes
The main standard IEC 62321 is now divided into several parts. Six parts are already
published as given in the table below:
IEC Standard

Determination of certain substances in electrotechnical products

IEC 62321-1

Part 1: Introduction and overview

IEC 62321-2

Part 2: Disassembly, disjunction and mechanical sample preparation

IEC 62321-3-1

Part 3-1: Screening - Lead, mercury, cadmium, total chromium and total
bromine using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

IEC 62321-3-2

Part 3-2: Screening - Total bromine in polymers and electronics by

Combustion - Ion Chromatography

IEC 62321-4

Part 4: Mercury in polymers, metals and electronics by CV-AAS, CVAFS, ICP-OES and ICP-MS

IEC 62321-5

Part 5: Cadmium, lead and chromium in polymers and electronics and

cadmium and lead in metals by AAS, AFS, ICP-OES and ICP-MS

Four additional standards of this set are in preparation and are expected to be published in
2014 or 2015. Parts 6 (PBB/PBDE) is expected to be published in February 2014, part 7-1
(Chromium VI in metals) is expected to be published in April 2014, part 7-2 (Chromium VI
in plastics) is expected for November 2014 and part 8 (phthalates) is expected for March
2015. All standards are in preparation.
IEC website
http://www.iec.ch/dyn/www/f?p=103:22:0::::FSP_ORG_ID:1314

Bureau Veritas Solutions and Services

Bureau Veritas offers a wide range of chemical management solutions to help you
overcome the challenges of complying with the RoHS requirement. For assistance, visit
www.bureauveritas.de/cps, www.bureauveritas.fr/cps, or www.bureauveritas.co.uk/cps.

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Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services

August 2013, Bulletin 13B-138

www.bureauveritas.de /cps