World Wide Regulatory Directives

Better understanding of our environment and the impact and effect of toxins has led to more restrictive regulations around the world. In the United States the EPA and OSHA have implemented new rules. The European Union has passed ELV (End-of-Life Vehicles Directive), RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substance), WEEE (the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive), and REACH (Registration, Evaluation, and Authorisation of Chemicals legislation). China, Korea, Argentina, and Japan are just a few of the countries around the world that are implementing their own versions of ELV, RoHS, WEEE, and REACH. Each country has their own rules and limits making it very difficult for international companies to ensure compliance in all places their product might end up.

Elisha provides the easiest solution to the regulatory nightmare by avoiding restricted substances while giving superior performance.

ELV (End-of-Life Vehicles Directive):

  • Manufacturers must limit the use of hazardous substances, make vehicles more recyclable and include an increasing quantity of recycled material.
  • Systems for the collection of end-of-life vehicles must be created. These vehicles should then be transferred to treatment facilities.
  • All end-of-life vehicles must be treated in order to remove polluting components and to promote recycling.
  • Hazardous materials recovered from vehicles cannot be placed in landfills.
  • ELV regulation is either in process or in place in Europe, China, and Korea.

WEEE (the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive):

  • Product owners can return waste from private households to manufacturers free of charge.
  • Producers are required to set up systems to provide waste treatment.
  • Sets out the financial and other responsibilities of EEE producers with regard to the collection and recycling of waste EEE at the end of life.
  • WEEE regulations pending or in place in EU, South Korea, California, Japan, and China.

RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances):

  • The RoHS Directive bans the use of certain hazardous substances, with certain exceptions.
  • RoHS regulations currently pending or in place in EU, California, China, South Korea, Japan (J-MOSS), Thailand, Australia, Taiwan, Norway, and Switzerland, with other countries considering their own similar regulations.

REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization & Restriction of Chemicals):

  • Transfers the responsibility of gathering data and performing risk assessments from government to industry.
  • New registration requirements for chemicals used in all manufacturing processes.
  • Provides a new method for grouping chemicals together and giving common risk assessments.
  • Cost of testing and evaluation borne by the manufacturer or user of the chemical. Industry groups can share cost.