Keep hazardous substances out of your electronics, and out of your way to market
RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) is an EU directive (2011/65/EU, commonly called RoHS 2, with RoHS 3 extending the substance list) that restricts the use of specific hazardous materials in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). It’s a precondition for the CE Mark on most electronics sold in the EU, and a growing number of countries — China, UK, India, South Korea, and others — have adopted similar restrictions.
We assess your product’s material composition, identify non-compliant components, and prepare the documentation needed to demonstrate and declare compliance.
Do you need this?
| Applies to you if… | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing electronics for the EU | Your product falls under one of the 11 EEE categories and is sold in the EU/EEA |
| Manufacturing for other RoHS-aligned markets | You sell into UK, China RoHS, or India’s E-Waste Rules, which mirror EU restrictions |
| Component/material supplier | You supply parts, solder, cables, or sub-assemblies into RoHS-regulated products |
| Selling via EU marketplaces | Platforms like Amazon.de/.fr increasingly require RoHS declarations before listing electronics |
Restricted substances (10 under RoHS 3): Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB), Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE), and four phthalates — DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP. Each is capped at a maximum concentration value (typically 0.1% by weight, 0.01% for Cadmium) per homogeneous material.
Typical timeline: 3–6 weeks for testing and documentation, depending on the number of components and whether lab testing or supplier declarations are used as evidence.
Step 1 — Scope and applicability check
We confirm whether your product qualifies as EEE under the directive’s 11 categories, and whether any exemptions (e.g. certain medical devices, military equipment) apply.
Step 2 — Bill of Materials (BOM) review
Every component, sub-assembly, and homogeneous material in the product is mapped against the restricted substances list — solder, plastics, coatings, cables, connectors, and printed circuit boards are common risk points.
Step 3 — Supplier declarations
For components sourced from third parties, we collect RoHS compliance declarations or material declarations from suppliers, since testing every incoming part independently is rarely practical.
Step 4 — Lab testing
Where supplier documentation is insufficient or unavailable, samples are sent for XRF screening (quick, non-destructive) and, where needed, confirmatory testing (ICP-OES/GC-MS) at an accredited lab for precise concentration levels.
Step 5 — Technical documentation compilation
A Technical Construction File is assembled — BOM, test reports, supplier declarations, and material analysis — showing due diligence in verifying compliance.
Step 6 — Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
A formal DoC is drafted and signed, stating the product’s compliance with the applicable RoHS directive, referencing the specific standards and test methods used.
Step 7 — Ongoing supply chain monitoring
Since compliance can break with a single component or supplier change, we help set up a process to re-verify RoHS status whenever the BOM changes.
About the product
From your supply chain
Testing and verification
For the Declaration of Conformity
Notes
Legal market access in the EU and beyond
RoHS compliance is a prerequisite for CE marking on electronics — without it, the product cannot legally be placed on the EU market. Non-compliant products can be recalled, withdrawn from sale, or blocked at customs.
Avoids penalties and forced recalls
EU member state enforcement authorities can levy fines and mandate product recalls for non-compliance — costs that dwarf the price of getting compliance right upfront.
Unlocks marketplace and retailer listings
Amazon, other EU e-commerce platforms, and large retailers increasingly require RoHS documentation before listing electronic products, making this a practical sales-enablement step, not just a legal one.
Smoother customs clearance
Customs authorities in RoHS-aligned markets can hold or reject shipments lacking proper documentation — a compliant DoC reduces friction and delay at the border.
Environmental and reputational upside
Restricting hazardous substances reduces environmental and health risk across the product’s lifecycle, and is increasingly expected by environmentally conscious B2B buyers and consumers alike.
Cleaner path to related certifications
RoHS compliance work overlaps significantly with REACH (chemical substances), WEEE (e-waste), and China RoHS — once your BOM and supplier declarations are in order, extending to these becomes far faster.
Supply chain visibility
The BOM-mapping exercise often surfaces supplier or component risks — inconsistent documentation, unverified sub-suppliers — that are worth fixing regardless of RoHS, since they affect overall product quality control.