Standard of Excellence: Delivering Excellence—A Daily Goal
Knocking Down the Bone Pile: Tin Whisker Mitigation in Aerospace Applications, Part 3
The Knowledge Base: Building the Workforce of Tomorrow With EMAC
Consultation on EU’s Chemical, Product and Waste Legislation
October 26, 2018 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
The European Union promotes a “circular economy” with closed-loop production based as much as possible on repairability, reusability and recycling. But in order for more products to be recycled or reused, it is crucial to tackle the challenges at the source, by ensuring that the product design facilitates recycling, and by substituting, whenever feasible, hazardous substances with suitable alternatives.
In this context, the European Commission recently asked stakeholders their opinions on the interface between chemical, product and waste legislation. The questionnaire drafted by the European Commission covers some key issues for the electronics industry, including the definition of ‘substances of concern’ and the tracking of these substances.
Based on Commission’s communication on this subject, the aim of the questionnaire is to get stakeholders’ views on four issues posing obstacles to ‘the safe uptake of secondary raw materials’ and a number of related challenges: lack of information on substances of concern in products and waste; presence of substances of concern in recycled materials; difficulties in applying end-of-waste criteria; and unclear application of EU waste classification methodologies.
This is one of the priority issues for the electronics industry in Europe, and IPC’s Senior Director of Europe, Nicolas Robin, is currently working with IPC members on a common response to the consultation. Please don’t hesitate to share your views and concerns. The deadline has been set for October 29, 2018.
The European Commission’s key Policy Officer responsible for the interface between chemical, product and waste legislation, Enrique Garcia-John, will be one of the speakers at this year’s IPC IMPACT Europe on November 28-29 in Brussels. Register now to speak directly with high level EU decision-makers, make your voice heard, and better understand future EU legislative plans.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Advancing Aerospace Excellence: Emerald’s Medford Team Earns Space Addendum Certification
06/30/2025 | Emerald TechnologiesWe’re thrilled to announce a major achievement from our Medford, Oregon facility. Andy Abrigo has officially earned her credentials as a Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) under the IPC J-STD-001 Space Addendum, the leading industry standard for space and military-grade electronics manufacturing.
Magnalytix and Foresite to Host Technical Webinar on SIR Testing and Functional Reliability
06/26/2025 | MAGNALYTIXMagnalytix, in collaboration with Foresite Inc., is pleased to announce an upcoming one-hour Webinar Workshop titled “Comparing SIR IPC B-52 to Umpire 41 Functional & SIR Test Method.” This session will be held on July 24, 2025, and is open to professionals in electronics manufacturing, reliability engineering, and process development seeking insights into new testing standards for climatic reliability.
IPC Rebrands as Global Electronics Association: Interview With Dr. John W. Mitchell
06/22/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Today, following a major announcement, IPC is embracing the rapid advancement of technology with a bold decision to change its name to the Global Electronics Association. This name more accurately reflects the full breadth of its work and the modern realities of electronics manufacturing. In this exclusive interview, Global Electronics Association President and CEO Dr. John W. Mitchell shares the story behind the rebrand: Why now, what it means for the industry, and how it aligns with the organization’s mission.
Global Electronics Association Debuts; New Name Elevates IPC’s 70-Year Legacy as Voice of $6 Trillion Electronics Industry
06/25/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationToday begins a new chapter for IPC as it officially becomes the Global Electronics Association, reflecting its role as the voice of the electronics industry. Guided by the vision of “Better electronics for a better world,” the Global Electronics Association (electronics.org) is dedicated to enhancing supply chain resilience and promoting accelerated growth through engagement with more than 3,000 member companies, thousands of partners, and dozens of governments across the globe.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
06/20/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007It’s been a busy week in this industry, and we have news and articles from the PCB design, fabrication and assembly communities. Some of this news is out of this world. We may be losing the high ground—the really high ground. Columnist Jesse Vaughan explains how the U.S. seems to be falling behind in space, and how this could affect our ability to defend ourselves in the future. We have an update on the U.S.-China tariff talks, which seem to be moving forward, though sometimes at a snail’s pace.