Electronic Equipment (Amendment) Regulations, 2006

Suppliment tal-Gazzetta tal-Gvern ta’ Malta, Nru. 17,933, 16 ta’ :unju, 2006

L.N. 137 of 2006

PRODUCT SAFETY ACT

(CAP. 427)

Restriction of Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and

Electronic Equipment (Amendment) Regulations, 2006

IN exercise of the powers conferred by articles 38 to 40 of the

Product Safety Act, 2001, the Minister for Competitiveness and

Communications, on the advice of the Malta Standards Authority, has

made the following regulations>-

(1) The title of these regulations is the Restriction of Use of Citation.

Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment

(Amendment) Regulations, 2006 and they shall be read and construed

as one with the Restriction of Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical

and Electronic Equipment Regulations, 2004, hereinafter referred to as L.N. 396 of 2004.

“the principal regulations”.

(2) These regulations implement the requirements of the

following Commission Decisions>

(a) Commission Decision 2005#618#EC of 18 August, 2005

which amends Directive 2002#95#EC of the European Parliament

and of the Council for the purpose of establishing the maximum

concentration values for certain hazardous substances in electrical

and electronic equipment<

(b) Commission Decision 2005#717#EC of 13 October, 2005

which amends for the purposes of adapting to the technical progress

the Annex to Directive 2002#95#EC of the European Parliament

and of the Council on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous

substances in electrical and electronic equipment<

(c) Commission Decision 2005#747#EC of 21 October, 2005

which amends for the purposes of adapting to technical progress

the Annex to Directive 2002#95#EC of the European Parliament

and of the Council on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous

substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

Sub-regulation (3) of regulation 1 of the principal regulations,

shall be repealed.

For sub regulation (1) of regulation 4 of the principal

regulations, there shall be substituted the following>

“(1) (a) New electrical and electronic equipment which

is put on the market shall not contain lead, mercury, cadmium,

hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or

polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) in excess of the levels

which shall be tolerated.

(b) A maximum concentration value of 0.1% by weight

in homogeneous materials for lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium,

polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or polybrominated diphenyl

ethers (PBDE) and of 0.01% by weight in homogeneous materials

for cadmium, shall be tolerated.”.

For Schedule I of the principal regulations there shall be

substituted the following>

“Schedule I

(Regulation 4(2))

Applications of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium,

polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)

which are exempt from the requirements of regulation 4(2)

Item No.

Application

Mercury in compact fluorescent lamps not exceeding 5 mg per lamp.

1. Mercury in straight fluorescent lamps for general purposes not exceeding>

2. — halophosphate

10 mg

— triphosphate with normal lifetime

5 mg

— triphosphate with long lifetime

8 mg.

Mercury in straight fluorescent lamps for special purposes.

3. Mercury in other lamps not specifically mentioned in this Schedule.

4.

Lead in glass of cathode ray tubes, electronic components and fluorescent

Lead as an alloying element in steel containing up to 0,35 % lead by weight,

aluminium containing up to 0,4 % lead by weight and as a copper alloy containing up

to 4 % lead by weight.

(a) Lead in high melting temperature type solders (i.e. tin-lead solder alloys

containing more than 85 % lead),

(b) Lead in solders for servers, storage and storage array systems, network

infrastructure equipment for switching, signaling, transmission as well as network

management for telecommunications,

(c)

Lead in electronic ceramic parts (e.g. piezoelectronic devices).

Cadmium and its compounds in electrical contacts and cadmium plating

except for applications banned under Directive 91#338#EEC 3 amending Directive

76#769#EEC 4 relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous

substances and preparations.

Hexavalent chromium as an anti-corrosion of the carbon steel cooling system

in absorption refrigerators.

Deca BDE for polymeric applications.

Lead in lead-bronze bearing shells and bushes.

Light bulbs

Lead used in compliant pin connector systems.

Lead as a coating material for the thermal conduction module c-ring.

Lead and cadmium in optical and filter glass.

15.

Lead in solders consisting of more than two elements for the connection

between the pins and the package of microprocessors with a lead content of more than

80 % and less than 85 % by weight.

Lead in solders to complete a viable electrical connection between

semiconductor die and carrier within integrated circuit Flip Chip packages.

Exemptions 3, and 12 are subject to the evaluation of the Commission through

the application of the procedure referred to in article 7(2) of the Directive.”.

OJ L 186, 12.7.1991, p. 59.

OJ L 262, 27.9.1976, p. 201.

Mitbug[ fl-Istamperija tal-Gvern — Printed at the Government Printing Press