Times are changing – and always moving very fast these days. Like it or not. It’s the price modern man has to pay. Beginning this year, two long-awaited directives passed the European legislation system, the WEE (Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and the RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances). To become valid by mid-2006, for the purpose of collecting electrical devices at the end of their lifetime, and for banning lead and other toxic materials such as mercury, cadmium, bromine-based flame retardants, etc. from new products (with some exceptions). The EU states are committed to set-up systems for reclaiming such waste by 2005.
Three years more to get things done, sounds far away, doesn’t it? But, put in the present schedule, how much time will be really left to realize the appropriate measure on the shop floor? Not much, that’s for sure, to do the job in a proper way. Providing that a board assembler or manufacturing company has not yet started but will begin next year, then there is a tight timing to obey for the transition to Pb-free production. That leaves 2004 for trail-and-error, and 2005 for the serious work, according to the outcome of the field service and some experiments. And with the beginning of 2006, everything has to be ready. Otherwise …
Since there is no direct replacement or snap-in of lead-free solder against the former eutectic alloys, a company has to carefully find out which formulation will be the solution or, in case of a variety of differing requirements, with which Pb-free alloy they will go with different products. Eventually, the soldering oven is of high interest too, as well as the PCB materials, the components, etc. Moreover, because of smaller process windows, every step in the line has to be performed with smaller tolerance. By the way, the discussion doesn’t revolve any longer around the costs of this transition; this argument has moved to the back seat.
In addition, the directives will be valid for imported goods as well. Within this context, we have occasionally heard the expression: “fortress Europe“. Sounds a bit absurd – ever heard of “fortress Japan“? Why – for heaven’s sake – and some foolish interpretations of WTO (World Trade Organization) regulations, should Europeans use goods made of toxic materials, or eat food spoiled with unwanted hormones, treated with radiation, pesticides, etc? Environment, health and nature are of great value to us, and need to be intelligently protected more than ever where streams of goods drift from continent to continent. This shouldn’t mean “buy European“, but rather using awareness of what you are doing.
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