RoHS restricts ten substances. Each has a maximum concentration measured in every homogeneous material, so the limit applies to the smallest separable material, not to the whole product.
RoHS caps ten substances in electrical and electronic equipment. The limits below apply to each homogeneous material within a product, meaning every uniform material that cannot be mechanically separated must comply on its own.
Overview
| Substance | Maximum concentration by weight | | --- | --- | | Lead (Pb) | 0.1% | | Mercury (Hg) | 0.1% | | Cadmium (Cd) | 0.01% | | Hexavalent chromium (Cr VI) | 0.1% | | Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) | 0.1% | | Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) | 0.1% | | Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) | 0.1% | | Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) | 0.1% | | Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) | 0.1% | | Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) | 0.1% |
Cadmium sits at 0.01%, every other substance at 0.1%. The four phthalates (DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP) were added by Directive (EU) 2015/863.
Specific uses can be temporarily permitted under a RoHS exemption, where the limit does not apply to that application until the exemption expires.
Note: general educational information, not legal advice. Check the official source before relying on it.