Overview#
RoHS keeps specific toxic substances out of electronics. It limits how much lead, mercury and similar materials a circuit board may contain, and the caps are very low.
Ten substances, capped at 0.1% by weight in each homogeneous material, except cadmium at 0.01%. You prove it with a CE mark, an EU Declaration of Conformity, and technical documentation (see EN IEC 63000).
What it restricts#
RoHS restricts ten substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). The maximum concentration is 0.1% by weight in each homogeneous material. The one exception is cadmium, which is capped at 0.01%.
| # | Substance | Limit (by weight, per homogeneous material) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lead (Pb) | 0.1% |
| 2 | Mercury (Hg) | 0.1% |
| 3 | Cadmium (Cd) | 0.01% |
| 4 | Hexavalent chromium (Cr VI) | 0.1% |
| 5 | Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) | 0.1% |
| 6 | Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) | 0.1% |
| 7–10 | Phthalates DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP | 0.1% each |
The four phthalates were added by Directive (EU) 2015/863, often called "RoHS 3".
Why the limit is "per homogeneous material"#
The threshold does not apply to the whole product. It applies to each homogeneous material, meaning the smallest unit that cannot be mechanically separated. That is why suppliers have to declare composition at a fine level of detail, for example through a Full Material Declaration.
History#
How compliance is shown#
Proving RoHS compliance means building a paper trail from supplier data to the CE mark.
- Exemptions (Annexes III and IV) allow named uses, such as certain solders, for limited periods that are reviewed regularly. Browse all 157 exemptions.