(ECCB: Midland, TX) -- Between RoHS, WEEE, ELV, Battery and Packaging Directives, China RoHS and others, many countries have enacted regulations on the restriction and management of hazardous substances in consumer products. They are real and they are here to stay. Even the United States is preparing federal level RoHS requirements that are expected to be implemented in July 1, 2010.  (On May 14, 2009, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) introduced H.R. 2420).

Is your company prepared for these requirements?

Do your supply chain management engineers specify IECQ HSPM QC 080000 compliance?

Do your buyers ask your suppliers for a copy of their IECQ HSPM QC 080000 certificate?

Are you aware of the penalties for noncompliance in other countries?

• In the United Kindom, the law states that a producer is liable and failure to meet the requirement can result in unlimited fines and jail for senior executives. They also reserve the right to take action on the producers supply chain regardless of how far down the chain they may be.

• In Ireland, the law allows up to 10 years in jail for senior executives of the company and fines of up to $15,000,000.

• In China, the producer can lose all access to the China market as well as facing fines.

These requirements cannot and should not be taken lightly. They are intended to reduce the amount of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium–Cr (VI), polybrominated biphenyls –PBB, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers–PBDE in products sold to consumers around the world.

Did you know that China and Taiwan account for at least 80 percent of the 1,863 IECQ HSPM QC 080000-certified companies in the world today? 

Understanding the need for a process-based approach for demonstrating compliance to these new emerging requirements, the Electronic Component Certification Board, the United States representatives of the International Electrotechnical Commission for Quality (IECQ) launched what is known as the “IECQ Hazardous Substance Process Management” certification program, in April 2005. 

Unlike the ISO 14001 environmental management system, IECQ HSPM is focused on the technical requirements that demonstrate compliance of a company’s process for managing the hazardous substances in materials and the processes during manufacturing, including packaging and shipping materials. Based on the international IECQ QC 080000 specification, these technical requirements are well laid out, easy to understand, and based on the foundations of already accepted international quality management systems. 

The ECCB/IECQ and BQPM LLC are working together to provide an up to date learning experience for U.S.-based companies that are looking for the knowledge they need to implement an effective IECQ HSPM technical management system based on The IECQ QC 080000 specification, IECQ QC 001002-5 rules of procedure, and the national and international directives and regulations worldwide.

For more information, please visit any one of the following web sites and click on the BQPM icon for IECQ HSPM Training.

www.bqpm.com
www.eccb.org
www.iecq.org

For informative videos on HSPM and RoHS, watch the following videos:

Special Report: Hazardous Substance Process Management—Intro
Special Report: Hazardous Substance Process Management—Part 1
Special Report: Hazardous Substance Process Management—Part 2