EU RoHS exemption for glass with Cd and Pb extended to 2021

11 Jul 2017

Glasses containing cadmium and lead may still be used for four more years; industry lobbyists to push for total exemption.

The European Union has extended certain exemptions for optical and colored filter glasses, which are controlled by the RoHS directive – such as those containing cadmium and lead compounds – until July 2021. The exemption has been extended from 2016, its previous expiry date (see extract of exemption order, below).

The RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC, which covers electrical and electronic equipment and also promotes collection and recycling of hazardous equipment and materials according to the WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC has been in force since February 2003.

The extended exemption period will permit the usage of lead-containing optical “flint” glasses and green filter glasses as well as that of the cadmium containing “steep slope” red, orange and yellow filter glasses for the next four years. The extended exemption announcement is published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Dr. Peter Hartmann of the Advanced Optics division at Schott commented on the exemption agreed by the European Commission, “This success was achieved due to long, tedious, patient and exhaustive work by the team of Uwe Hamm of Carl Zeiss, Wenko Süptitz of Spectaris, Paul Goodman of ERA UK and myself.

“Since the situation with these materials will not change beyond 2021 the complete removal of optical materials from the RoHS scope will be the next target. Preparation work will start in 2019 at the latest.”