RoHS / Lead (Pb) Free Solutions

In the last few years the electronics industry has shifted towards developing more environmentally friendly products. Countries around the world are paying closer attention to the waste resulting from hazardous substances used in electrical and electronic products that can affect health and the environment. Prompted by this issue, the European Union (EU) WEEE Directive (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive) was implemented in 2002. WEEE set e-waste collection and recycling targets for electrical and electronic goods and put the responsibility of e-waste disposal on EU manufacturers or EU importers. The EU RoHS Directive is closely linked to the WEEE Directive and restricts the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment.

It is important to understand that the electronics industry has been transitioning to RoHS compliant products since July 2002. The EU was the first jurisdiction to implement regulations on the use of hazardous substances in electronic products, and other countries such as China, Korea, and Japan have followed the EU in implementing their own similar legislation. Among the six hazardous substances, the most prominent and widely used substance in the electronics industry is Pb (lead). Ongoing research and development has resulted in suitable alternatives to Pb in limited applications. However the long term reliability risks are not well understood. The EU has approved certain exemptions allowing the use of lead in some very limited locations within the product, and/or in some applications because of the technical difficulties or unproven reliability in finding substitutions. It is expected that these exemptions will be eliminated in the future and the electronics industry will be fully lead free.

As an electronic component manufacturer, Cortina Systems, Inc. (Cortina) takes responsibility for meeting environmental standards and supports programs to reduce e-waste and hazardous substances. Cortina is committed to developing environmentally friendly products by creating awareness internally and among its supply chain partners. It is the Cortina policy to comply with environmental regulations such as the RoHS standards implemented in the EU and other jurisdictions as they become effective.

Cortina products designate RoHS compliancy by the markings shown in the following document: Package Designator Codes for Cortina RoHS Compliant Products

Sample MDDS for a Cortina RoHS compliant product: Cortina Systems(R) CS3487 B0 EM MDDS

Cortina RoHS Documentation:

Cortina Systems, Inc. RoHS Compliance Policy Whitepaper
Cortina Systems, Inc. RoHS Compliance Frequently Asked Questions