News
| RoHS and Wood Packaging | 2007-04-06 |
NELMA is often asked about the implications of a packaging requirement known as “RoHS” versus the IPPC ISPM 15 Standard. As many exporters are aware, RoHS compliance is being requested by overseas customers, both in Europe and now China.
RoHS is an export manufacturing directive that began in Europe and stands for "the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment". This Directive bans the placing on the EU market of new electrical and electronic equipment containing more than agreed levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants.
While it was adopted in February 2003 by the European Union, the RoHS directive took effect on July 1, 2006. It is not considered a law, but a directive. However, each EU member state will adopt its own enforcement and implementation policies using the directive as a guide, with their own set of variations. Effective March 1, 2007, China adopted a similar version of the directive which became known as “China RoHS”. The confusion quickly begins when requests from a foreign customer for the labeling of the “packaging” becomes a requirement. What is meant by the term “packaging” when it comes to RoHS labeling is typically marks and symbols applied directly to the consumer electronic products being packaged for retail that indicate, for example, “No RoHS substances”, “reusable” or “recyclable”.
At this time, we do not know of any RoHS directive that applies to the “wood packaging” such as pallets, crates and boxes used to ship consumer electronic goods to export markets. | |
| « back | |
Eastern White Pine VS. Radiata Pine. Learn about these two species in a side by side comparison. Who will be victorious?
Founded in 1933, the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturer's Association (NELMA) is one of seven lumber rules writing agencies in the U.S. accredited by the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC) to write grade rules that are certified as conforming to the American Softwood Lumber Standard PS20. NELMA is the official author and administrator of the grading rules for Eastern White Pine, in particular.
In addition to the quality control inspection audits we conduct at lumber manufacturers to ensure that on-grade Eastern White Pine products are meeting the needs of consumers, NELMA develops and distributes an array of technical information and unique promotional materials via our member-driven marketing program. We encourage you to browse through the pages of this website and discover why Eastern White Pine is the very best choice when wood is considered, both environmentally sustainable and application versatile.
