Compliance
In order to compete in a global marketplace, companies must comply with many laws around the world. For Appareo to be a global company, parts, and components provided to Appareo must meet several compliance standards. Listed below are five compliance standards that most of our suppliers must follow. Not all compliance standards apply depending on the nature of the component and its application.
RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) – Any business that sells applicable electrical or electronic products, equipment, sub-assemblies, cables, components, or spare parts directly to the European Union (EU) countries, or sells to resellers, distributors or integrators that in turn sell products to these countries, is impacted if they utilize any of the restricted substances. Appareo components shall be RoHS compliant with an explicit exception on the drawing or specification. The European Commission has a webpage on environmental concerns.
RoHS specifies maximum levels for the following 10 restricted substances. The first six applied to the original RoHS while the last four were added under RoHS 3.
- Lead (Pb): < 1000 ppm
- Mercury (Hg): < 100 ppm
- Cadmium (Cd): < 100 ppm
- Hexavalent Chromium: (Cr VI) < 1000 ppm
- Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB): < 1000 ppm
- Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE): < 1000 ppm
- Bis(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP): < 1000 ppm
- Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP): < 1000 ppm
- Dibutyl phthalate (DBP): < 1000 ppm
- Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP): < 1000 ppm
Appareo requires a statement for each part stating its RoHS compliance status.
REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals) – n the EU, chemicals are much more regulated than in the United States. To be REACH compliant SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern) must be documented if they exist in any products. A list of SVHC chemicals can be found here. Although companies outside the EU are not required to be REACH compliant. Companies that export to the EU must have REACH records. Since Appareo exports “articles” to the EU, we must hold records on chemical substances. The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) maintains a webpage on REACH compliance and pertinent subjects.
Appareo requires a statement for each part stating its REACH status, and if containing any SVHC, it must be documented.
Conflict Mineral – Section 1502 of the 2010 US Dodd-Frank Act, states gold, tin, tantalum, and tungsten, originating from the Democratic Republic of Congo and adjoining countries cannot be used in products or in the manufacturing process of products. Several nations are considering similar legislation. The Responsible Business Alliance and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative established a webpage to help align the supply chain towards responsible mining of minerals.
Appareo requires a CMRT (Conflict Mineral Reporting Template) for each part. If your part does not contain the above four materials, ensure whether gold, tin, tantalum, or tungsten was used in the process of making the part. If the component supplied by your company does contain the above materials, you must identify the original smelters of the four listed materials in the part and in the process of creating the part.