[ RadSafe ] RE: Lead

[Robert Atkinson]

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
Behalf Of Jaro
Sent: 31 January 2006 00:36
To: RADSAFE
Subject: [ RadSafe ] RE: Lead

Actually, the ban on lead in electronics isn't funny at all....

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/commission/speeches/2005/s
-05-
019.html
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION'S
OPERATING
EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
Peter B. Lyons, Commissioner, U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
before the International Conference on Operational Safety Performance,
International Atomic Energy Agency
Vienna, Austria, November 30, 2005


The Millstone 3 PWR plant experienced a reactor trip as a result of "tin
<SNIP>

The legislation is very poorly worded, the list of examples read like
someone walked around their house looking at things and deciding if they
were "electronic" or not. There are several mentions of videos and cell
phones, but no examples of what constitutes instrumentation.
Several industries have successfully lobbied fir exemptions. And there
have been some late applications for exemption. These include Cadmium
Sulphide photo cells, hard to make without Cadmium!

However the regulations only apply to certain items,

Categories of electrical and electronic equipment covered by the RoHS
Regulations
1. Large household appliances
(Such as large cooling appliances; refrigerators; freezers; other large
appliances
<SNIP>

2. Small household appliances
(Such as vacuum cleaners; carpet sweepers; other appliances for
cleaning;
<SNIP>

3. IT and telecommunications equipment
(Such as centralised data processing; mainframes; minicomputers; printer
units;
<SNIP>

4. Consumer equipment
(Such as radio sets; television sets; video cameras; video recorders;
hi-fi
recorders; audio amplifiers; musical instruments; 
<SNIP>

5. Lighting equipment, (including electric light bulbs and household
luminaires)
<SNIP>

6. Electrical and electronic tools (with the exception of large-scale
stationary
industrial tools)
<SNIP>

7. Toys, leisure and sports equipment
<SNIP>

8. Automatic dispensers
(Such as automatic dispensers for hot drinks;
<SNIP>

If your equipment does not fit in one of these categories you do not
need to comply. Medical equipment for professional use does not seem to
fit any of these so there should not be a problem.

Also note that the regulations relate specifically to ELECTRICAL and
ELECTRONIC equipment. Therefore basic shielding items such as pigs,
aprons, bricks and screens are not covered. It is further defined that
items are only covered if electricity is need to perform their primary
function, thus a shielded glove box with a light in it (primary function
shielding) would not be covered. The UK guidance document gives the very
poor example of a musical greeting card, saying that as the primary
function is as a card, the electronics don't count, but hundreds of
these must be thrown into land fill every day!

Regards,
Robert Atkinson,
MRAeS
 
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