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EU RoHS

January 31, 2017 | Written by GreenSoft Technology, Inc.

No Decision Expected on RoHS-2 Exemption Renewals Before Fall 2017

No Resolution on Outstanding RoHS-2 Exemption Renewal Requests

eu-rohsAccording to IPC, the European Commission met in December to discuss outstanding RoHS-2 exemption renewal requests and it was determined that no resolution will be announced before Fall of this year.

Many of the most commonly used exemptions applicable to product categories 1-7 and 10 of the EU RoHS-2 Directive were set to expire on July 21, 2016. However, a large number of renewal applications for exemptions were submitted to the European Commission. Under the RoHS-2 Directive, exemptions remain in effect until a decision is made on renewal applications that have been submitted.

The European Commission has previously stated that their anticipated time frame to make a decision on each exemption extension is 18-24 months from the application date. Applications for exemption renewals were submitted between October 2014 and January 2015, therefor a decision was expected by January 2017. The latest news is that no such decisions will be announced before Fall 2017.

A list of pending exemption renewal requests and their statuses can be found here.

How Your Company is Affected

With the status and timing of exemption extension reviews unknown, companies using parts or materials which utilize expiring exemptions to achieve RoHS-2 compliance should immediately begin finding replacements and phasing out the use of these parts or materials.

GreenSoft can help with this process, including the sourcing of replacement parts. We can help you collect the substance data on your parts and format the data to meet the due diligence and documentation requirements of RoHS-2 and EN 50581. Give us a call at +1-323-254-5961 or contact us today to get started!

 
 

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GreenData Manager Software

January 23, 2017 | Written by GreenSoft Technology, Inc.

GreenSoft President Interviewed by TechTime News

TechTime News Talks About Hosted GDM with Larry Yen

tech-timeLast month, Larry Yen, the Founder and President of GreenSoft Technology, Inc. was interviewed by TechTime News, the leading daily news source for the electronics industry in Israel.

In the interview, Yen announced GreenSoft's newly launched Hosted GreenData Manager:

“I am excited to announce that we are launching a new GreenData Manager software platform [...] that will enable companies to access a shared database of compliance information over the internet from anywhere in the world.”

Yen also discussed the most important updates for environmental compliance that are expected in 2017:

“EU RoHS and EU REACH are the two most important environmental standards that the electronics industry should pay attention to and these regulations have the two most important updates coming in the new year.

“EU RoHS has a group of exemptions under review for extension that will be decided in 2017. And the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) will soon be clarifying the definition of an ‘article’ under the EU REACH SVHC legislation, which will affect the details of declaration and due diligence obligations for affected companies.”

Read the full interview with Larry Yen and TechTime News here.

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EU REACH

January 18, 2017 | Written by GreenSoft Technology, Inc.

4 Substances Added to REACH SVHC List

ECHA Adds 4 Substances to SVHC Candidate List

EU-REACHThe European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has added four new substances to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) Candidate List.

The addition of these four substances brings the total number of SVHC substances to 173.

ECHA generally updates the SVHC Candidate List every June and December. However, no update was issued for December 2016 until now. The last update to the SVHC Candidate List was in June 2016.

The four new substances added to the SVHC Candidate List are:

  1. 4,4'-isopropylidenediphenol (EC#201-245-8; CAS# 80-05-7). Date of Inclusion: January 12, 2017 for reason: Toxic for reproduction (Article 57c).
  2. 4-Heptylphenol, branched and linear. Date of Inclusion: January 12, 2017 for reason: Equivalent level of concern having probable serious effects to environment (Article 57 f).
  3. Nonadecafluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and its sodium and ammonium salts Nonadecafluorodecanoic acid (EC# 206-400-3; CAS# 335-76-2), Ammonium nonadecafluorodecanoate (EC# 221-470-5; CAS# 3108-42-7), Decanoic acid, nonadecafluoro-, sodium salt (CAS# 3830-45-3). Date of Inclusion: January 12, 2017 for reasons: Toxic for reproduction (Article 57c), PBT (Article 57 d).
  4. p-(1,1-dimethylpropyl)phenol (EC# 201-280-9; CAS# 80-46-6). Date of Inclusion: January 12, 2017 for reason: Equivalent level of concern having probable serious effects to environment (Article 57 f).

Need help with REACH SVHC compliance?

Additions and changes to the REACH SVHC Candidate List can be expected every six months. The REACH regulation applies to thousands of substances that are present in electrical and electronic equipment. REACH compliance affects companies of all sizes and requires manufacturers to have detailed knowledge of the substances present in their products.

GreenSoft’s experienced worldwide team can help collect REACH SVHC statements and full-disclosure chemical data for your products and components, validate the data for accuracy and formatting, and help identify non-compliant parts and find second sources for non-compliant components. Learn more and get a free Risk Analysis!

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Five Entries Added to EU REACH SVHC List

EU REACH SVHC List now contains 240 Entries. Environmental compliance is required for companies using such substances. GreenSoft can help with SCIP Database submissions and more.

GreenData Manager Software

January 9, 2017 | Written by GreenSoft Technology, Inc.

GreenSoft Launches Hosted GDM for Compliance Data Management

Environmental Compliance Management from Anywhere in the World

hosted-gdmToday GreenSoft Technology, Inc. announced the launch of a new GreenData Manager (GDM) software edition: Hosted GDM.

Hosted GDM is a comprehensive solution for companies that need to manage RoHS-2, REACH SVHC, and other regulation compliance across multiple locations without technical administration headaches.

Hosted GDM includes the same powerful tools as other GDM editions, such as compliance report generation for over 25 built-in regulations or for customer user-defined rules, data completeness reports, import and export functionality, scheduling, and much more.

Skip the Technical Headaches with Hosted GDM

Your BOM data will be hosted on GreenSoft’s online virtual server for access through Hosted GDM by members of your organization or subcontractors you may want to share your data with.

Users can access Hosted GDM from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection. This makes Hosted GDM ideal for companies with multiple users needing to share compliance data across multiple locations.

Since GreenSoft is hosting the data on our online virtual server, there are no technical headaches for you to deal with.

  • IT Administration: GreenSoft will take care of the installation, implementation and maintenance, so that you're free to focus on solving green compliance issues.
  • Data Collection: GreenSoft will perform data collection from your supply chain for you so that you're working with high-quality, accurate data. GreenSoft will validate the data and follow up with suppliers for clarification and corrections. Final data will be uploaded into your organization's Hosted GDM database.

Learn More and Get a Demo

Learn more about the convenient, easy-to-use features of Hosted GDM online or by downloading the Hosted GDM data sheet.

Ready to see a demo? Contact us today to get started.

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EU REACH

December 7, 2016 | Written by GreenSoft Technology, Inc.

ECHA Proposes Prioritizing 9 SVHCs for REACH Authorisation List

SVHCs Prioritized for REACH Annex XIV Authorisation List

EU-REACHIn November, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recommended prioritizing the addition of nine Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) to the EU REACH Annex XIV Authorisation List. There are currently 31 substances on the Authorisation List.

ECHA regularly assesses the substances from the Candidate List to determine which ones should be included in the Authorisation List as a priority. The prioritization is primarily based on the uses and volumes of the in-scope substances on the EU market. ECHA stated that these nine substances are toxic for reproduction and were prioritized due to their high volume and widespread uses which may pose a threat to human health.

Per the REACH regulation, the recommendation to prioritize these nine substances for the REACH Annex XIV Authorisation List comes after a 90-day public consultation period held earlier this year.

The nine SVHCs being called for prioritization are:

  1. 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, dihexyl ester, branched and linear (toxic for reproduction) -- Plasticiser.
  2. Dihexyl phthalate (toxic for reproduction) -- Plasticiser.
  3. Trixylyl phosphate (toxic for reproduction) -- Lubricants, greases, hydraulic fluids, metal working fluids, plastic products.
  4. Sodium perborate; perboric acid, sodium salt (toxic for reproduction) -- Detergents and bleaching products.
  5. Sodium peroxometaborate (toxic for reproduction) -- Detergents and bleaching products.
  6. Pentalead tetraoxide sulphate (toxic for reproduction) -- Production of batteries.
  7. Tetralead trioxide sulphate (toxic for reproduction) -- Production of batteries. Coatings and inks for mirror backing.
  8. Orange lead (lead tetroxide) (toxic for reproduction) -- Production of batteries. Adsorbents, paints, lubricants, corrosion inhibitors, explosives, rubber products.
  9. Lead monoxide (lead oxide) (toxic for reproduction) -- Production of batteries. Adsorbents, catalysts, lubricants, corrosion inhibitors, rubber products. Surface treatment (plating).

The final decision on the inclusion of the SVHCs in the Authorisation List and their effective dates will be decided by the European Commission in collaboration with the Member States and the European Parliament at a future date.

More information is available on the ECHA website.

A Roadmap for REACH Compliance

Restrictions under the REACH regulation Candidate List are already in place for these nine SVHCs, and the addition of these substances to the Authorization List will place further obligations on manufacturers and distributors of products that currently contain the substances.

Updates to the Candidate List and Authorization List SVHCs restricted under REACH can be expected several times a year. The best practice to comply with this ever-changing regulation is to collect Full Material Declaration (FMD) data on all your parts so that you can be prepared whenever a new substance is restricted.

GreenSoft’s experienced worldwide team can help collect REACH SVHC statements and full-disclosure chemical data for your products and components for you, as well as keep you informed of the evolving regulations. GreenSoft will validate the collected product and component data for accuracy and formatting, and will help identify non-compliant parts and find second sources for non-compliant components. Learn more about GreenSoft's REACH Compliance Services here.

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Conflict Minerals

December 2, 2016 | Written by GreenSoft Technology, Inc.

CFSI Releases CMRT Version 4.20 for Conflict Minerals Reporting

Conflict Minerals Reporting Template (CMRT) Update

On November 30, the Conflict Free Sourcing Initiative (CFSI) released a new Conflict Minerals Reporting Template (CMRT) version: CMRT 4.20.

The new CMRT 4.20 form is an update from CMRT 4.10, which was released in May this year.

With this release comes the announcement from CFSI that the next CMRT form version is expected to be released in April 2017. This confirms an emerging pattern of new CMRT form versions being released by CFSI about every six months.

Major Changes from Form CMRT 4.10

Per the CFSI announcement, major changes seen in CMRT 4.20 include:

  1. Corrections to all bugs and errors
    1. Ability to insert rows to the product list tab
    2. Grammatical fixes
  2. Enhancements which do not conflict with IPC-1755
    1. Additions and clarifications in the instructions and definitions
    2. Update to ISO short names for countries changed (see list on CFSI website)
  3. Translation improvements for all updated instructions and definitions
  4. Updates to the Smelter Reference List and Standard Smelter List

For Existing GreenSoft Customers

Existing clients of GreenSoft can rest easy knowing that the GreenSoft software development team and data collection team will take care of this update for you.

Our software development team will soon update GreenData Manager software to accept the processing of CMRT 4.20 forms, and our data collection team will prepare to start using CMRT 4.20 when performing RCOIs on behalf of our customers as part of our Conflict Minerals data services. The changes will be implemented in the near future.

For those who have not yet experienced the convenience and extraordinary data quality of GreenSoft's Conflict Minerals Data Services and award-winning GreenData Manager software for conflict minerals compliance, give us a call or email today and we'll provide you with a free Risk Analysis/BOM Scrub!

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Conflict Minerals

November 23, 2016 | Written by GreenSoft Technology, Inc.

EU Reaches Landmark Agreement on Conflict Minerals Regulation

Legislation Text Finalized for EU Conflict Minerals

Yesterday, the European Union reached a landmark agreement on the text for the Conflict Minerals regulation that was approved by the EU in May 2015.

The EU Council and the European Parliament worked together to finalize the text and determine how and when the regulation will apply to EU importers.The agreed-upon rules will ensure sustainable sourcing for more than 95% of all EU imports of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold (3TG).

For affected companies, these due diligence provisions will begin being implemented on January 1st, 2021.

The EU press release announcing this agreement can be found here.

Upstream and Downstream Companies Affected

While the text of the agreement has not yet been made public, a summary from June of the goals of the regulation by EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström was included in the press release and can be found here.

The legislation will lay out framework for upstream and downstream companies that are part of the mineral supply chain, which covers the vast majority of such metals and minerals imported to Europe, per Malmström's summary.

Due diligence measures will be required of downstream companies that use the refined forms of 3TG metals and minerals in components and goods, and downstream operators who import refined, metal-stage products into the EU. These measures will include the development of reporting tools and standards to further boost due diligence in the supply chain, as well as setting up a transparency database.

The extent to which companies will be required to disclose information to member state authorities or the public is not yet known. Malmström writes that the EU is paying close attention to the particular needs of small companies to avoid subjecting them to overly cumbersome procedures.

GreenSoft will follow the developments of this regulation and post updates on our blog. Subscribe to our blog here to stay up-to-date.

Conflict Minerals Support for GreenSoft Customers

GreenSoft provides Conflict Minerals data services, Smelter or Refiner Validation services, and the Conflict Minerals module for GreenData Manager software for customers complying with the US Dodd-Frank Act conflict minerals legislation.

We will monitor the new EU Conflict Minerals legislation closely and develop a data collection program specific to the legislation for companies needing to comply starting January 2021. Our development team will begin looking into a reporting tool that meets the EU standards for conflict minerals reporting.

Using our data services, which is already trusted by top electronics and electrical equipment manufacturers for EU RoHS and REACH and many other regulations, we can assist you in building a transparency database with full material declaration (FMD) data on your products and components so you can demonstrate due diligence.

Tapping into our existing GreenSoft Component Database with up-to-date FMD data on millions of parts allows us to cut down on data collection time for your projects. And our extensive data review process ensures that you're reporting the highest quality data possible.

Contact GreenSoft today to learn how we can help you with your existing and upcoming compliance obligations, and we'll provide you with a free Risk Analysis & BOM Scrub!

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California Proposition 65

November 15, 2016 | Written by GreenSoft Technology, Inc.

Two Additions to CA Prop 65 Substance List

Substances Known to State of CA to Cause Cancer

Over the past several weeks, two substances have been added to the List of Chemicals Known to Cause Cancer under California Prop 65.

Companies subject to Prop 65 are required to provide a warning before exposing anyone to a listed chemical, and are prohibited from discharging listed chemicals into sources of drinking water.

The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) made the following additions:

Effective Date Chemical CAS No. Endpoint Listing Mechanism
September 30, 2016 Furfuryl alcohol 98-00-0 Cancer AB (US EPA)
October 21, 2016 Pentachlorophenol and by-products of its synthesis (complex mixture) --- Cancer AB (NTP)

Information on the criteria used to classify each substance and the most updated list of substances can be found on the OEHHA website. The last prior addition to the list was in May 2016.

GreenData Manager Has You Covered for Prop 65

GreenData Manager software has a built-in configuration for CA Prop 65, in addition to dozens of other regulations or custom-built rules. You can easily sort through FMD data for all components used in your company's products and filter based on products and product families.

Request a demo of GreenData Manager today so you can start managing your compliance data and generate compliance reports the easy way. Plus, use GreenSoft's Data Services to ensure you're working with the most accurate and highest quality data possible.

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China RoHS

November 10, 2016 | Written by GreenSoft Technology, Inc.

Standards Released for China RoHS Marking Requirements

Digital Marking Requirements for Hazardous Substances

china-rohsOn October 13, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (“MIIT”) released a standard modification order for the marking requirements in the China RoHS legislation.

The standard modification order, titled "Restriction of Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic products using the identification requirements," lays out standards for the description or adjustment of the electronic components and digital format identifications.

According to the release, China RoHS will be amended as follows:

  1. For components and materials of electronic and electrical products, such as display components, circuit boards, resistors, phosphors that can not directly identify the use of hazardous substances on the surface of electrical and electronic products, the substances must be identified by the use of digital formats (for products with image display function) or identified in the product description.
  2. For electrical and electronic products with image display function, the identification of use of hazardous substances is changed from being required to be displayed upon each start up of the device to now only needing to be displayed on the startup for the first time in the product sales package.

Data Services for China RoHS

Environmental compliance regulations for electronic products are particularly complex and translation issues can make them confusing to understand. GreenSoft maintains a large office in China, where our data collection team is located, so that we are able to provide global coverage to our clients.

With fluency in multiple languages, we are able to help you make sense of the regulations affecting your company, and we can contact your suppliers directly to obtain compliance data on your products and components.

Learn more about GreenSoft's Data Services. We'll provide you with a free Risk Analysis when you contact us.

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EU REACH

November 8, 2016 | Written by GreenSoft Technology, Inc.

EU Commission Proposes Two New Restrictions to REACH Annex XVII

Annex XVII Additions Proposed for 2017

european-commissionOn October 6, the EU Commission notified the World Trade Organization of its intention to add two new substances to the REACH Annex XVII restricted substances list.

  • The first addition, detailed in document G/TBT/N/EU/410, restricts windscreen washing fluids, defrosting fluids and denatured alcohol containing methanol in quantities equal to or greater than 0.6% by weight.
  • The second addition, detailed in document G/TBT/N/EU/411, restricts perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related substances as a substance on its own and as a constituent of other substances, in mixtures, or in articles or any part thereof, in a concentration equal to or greater than 25 ppb of PGOA or 1000 ppb of one or a combination of related substances.

The proposed date of adoption for both restrictions is the first half of 2017, with the proposed date of entry into force as 20 days from the publication in the Official Journal of the EU (the restriction will begin to apply 12 months after the date of entry into force). Industry stakeholders have been given 60 days from the notification to submit comments.

The last previous addition to REACH Annex XVII was in April 2016.

Help With REACH Compliance

GreenSoft helps electrical and electronics manufacturers manage REACH compliance with a process that includes data collection, data validation, and replacement parts sourcing. We can also help with compliance assessments and sourcing replacement suppliers. Learn more about our REACH compliance services here.

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Korea REACH

November 4, 2016 | Written by GreenSoft Technology, Inc.

New Restrictions Added to South Korea’s K-REACH Regulation

New Restrictions on NP and NPEs

k-reachOn September 30, 2016, South Korea's Ministry of the Environment issued an amendment to the K-REACH regulation. The amendment adds new restrictions on NP and NPEs.

Nonylphenol (NP) and Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) are commonly used in the production of plastics, detergents, paints, biocides, and cosmetics.

The restriction under K-REACH applies to the import, sale, storage, transport or use of such substances. K-REACH requires that the quantity of the substance shall not exceed 0.1% for products or components within.

The new substance restrictions, listed below, will be implemented on July 1, 2018.

  1. Nonylphenol (NP), CAS: 25154-52-3, 104-40-5, 84852-15-3, 139-84-4, 136-83-4, 90481-04-2 and 11066-49-2;
  2. Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs), CAS: 9016-45-9, 27177-05- 5, 68412-54-4, 127087-87-0, 68412-53-3, 26027-38-3 and 37205-87-1;
  3. Nonylphenol or mixtures of nonylphenol ethoxylates greater than 0.1% by weight.

For GreenSoft Customers

For GreenSoft clients that are utilizing K-REACH data services, these new restrictions will be incorporated into the service closer to the implementation date. Your Project Manager will guide you through the new changes as they apply to your company.

If you are not yet utilizing the convenience of GreenSoft's Data Services, give us a call or email today. You'll benefit from our high quality data guarantee and quick data collection turnaround time.

Receive a free analysis of your compliance risk level and a BOM scrub when you call us at +1-323-254-5961 or email info@greensofttech.com.

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EU REACH

October 3, 2016 | Written by GreenSoft Technology, Inc.

ECHA Considering Adding 6 Substances to REACH SVHC List

EU-REACHOn September 6, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) proposed adding six substances to the Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) List under the EU REACH legislation. ECHA is accepting comments regarding the proposed substance inclusions through October 21.

The six substances proposed for restriction per the REACH SVHC List are:

Substance Name EC Number CAS Number Proposing Authority Reason for Proposing Date of Publication Deadline for Commenting
4,4’-isopropylidenediphenol (bisphenol A) 201-245-8 80-05-7 France Toxic for reproduction (Article 57 c) Sep. 6, 2016 Oct. 21, 2016
4-Heptylphenol, branched and linear [substances with a linear and/or branched alkyl chain with a carbon number of 7 covalently bound predominantly in position 4 to phenol, covering also UVCB- and well-defined substances which include any of the individual isomers or a combination thereof] -- -- Austria Equivalent level of concern having probable serious effects to the environment (Article 57 f) Sep. 6, 2016 Oct. 21, 2016
4-tert-butylphenol 202-679-0 98-54-4 Germany Equivalent level of concern having probable serious effects to the environment (Article 57 f) Sep. 6, 2016 Oct. 21, 2016
Benzene-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid 1,2-anhydride (trimellitic anhydride) 209-008-0 552-30-7 Netherlands Equivalent level of concern having probable serious effects to human health (Article 57 f) Sep. 6, 2016 Oct. 21, 2016
Nonadecafluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and its sodium and ammonium salts -
206-400-3
221-470-5		 3108-42-7
335-76-2
3830-45-3		 Sweden Toxic for reproduction (Article 57 c); PBT (Article 57 d) Sep. 6, 2016 Oct. 21, 2016
p-(1,1-dimethylpropyl)phenol 201-280-9 80-46-6 Germany Equivalent level of concern having probable serious effects to the environment (Article 57 f) Sep. 6, 2016 Oct. 21, 2016

The most recent prior addition to the REACH SVHC List was one substance in June 2016.

More information for stakeholders and members of the public regarding submitting comments about the proposal can be found online here.

A Roadmap for REACH Compliance

The addition of these substances to the REACH SVHC List will place obligations on manufacturers and distributors of products that contain the substances. Updates to the REACH SVHC List can be expected every six months. The best practice to comply with this ever-changing regulation is to collect Full Material Declaration (FMD) data on all your parts so that you can be prepared whenever a new substance is restricted.

GreenSoft’s experienced worldwide team can help collect REACH SVHC statements and full-disclosure chemical data for your products and components for you, as well as keep you informed of the evolving regulations. GreenSoft will validate the collected product and component data for accuracy and formatting, and will help identify non-compliant parts and find second sources for non-compliant components. Learn more about GreenSoft's REACH Compliance Services here.

If your company has an in-house team dedicated to collecting compliance data from your supply chain, try GreenData Manager software for managing that data and generating compliance reports. This user-friendly software program is affordable and integrates seamlessly with existing PLM/ERP programs.

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