The non-halogenated solution
While not yet a requirement in most environmental standards, many customers, particularly those in Europe, are demanding low smoke zero halogen (LSZH) cables. Leading manufacturers in the US have responded by providing them as a superior green alternative to traditional cables. Although there are many applications where traditional cables shine, LSZH cables are particularly attractive in areas where ventilation is limited, or where sensitive equipment or people could be exposed to toxic fumes.
Marine transportation is the leading industry in adopting LSZH cables. This is because the dense smoke and acid produced by burning halogenated cables is particularly dangerous to the people and equipment found in confined spaces onboard vessels.
Today's LSZH jackets deliver the same reliability as halogenated cables, but without the risk to people or equipment. The jackets are composed of thermoplastic or thermoset compounds that emit limited smoke and no toxins when exposed to high sources of heat.
Green non-halogenated cable is the future
There are strong indications that the US is moving toward greener regulations and Europe will continue to demand greener products. Hoping onto the green bandwagon with LSZH cables makes sense in terms of designing for global markets and for establishing a forward-thinking position in the domestic market.
Sidebar: relevant regulations and standards for environmental management
There's an alphabet soup of hazardous substance directives and governmental regulations on safety or eco-friendly standards for electrical and electronic equipment. The most frequently referenced are listed here:
ISO 14001 is a family of standards created by the International Standards Organization (ISO) related to environmental management. They're designed to help organizations: minimize how their operations (processes, etc.) negatively affect the environment; comply with applicable laws, regulations, and other environmentally oriented requirements; and continually improve in the above.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings, homes, and neighborhoods created by the US Green Building Council.
Prop 65 is an initiative in California that requires the state to publish a list of chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects. It also prohibits the state from putting any of these chemicals into water sources. Businesses are required to notify employees and consumers if these chemicals are present within the building or in the products they produce.
Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) is a European Union regulation that addresses the production and use of chemical substances, and their potential impacts on both human health and the environment. REACH requires all companies manufacturing or importing chemical substances into the European Union in quantities of one ton or more per year to register these substances with a new European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) was adopted in February 2003 by the European Union. Closely linked with WEEE, RoHS restricts the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) 2002/96/EC is a European Union directive setting collection, recycling, and recovery targets for electrical goods and is part of a legislative initiative to solve the problem of huge amounts of toxic e-waste.
— Frank Koditek is a Product Manager for Industrial Cables at Belden.
I agree with you Naperlou, I was reading the article and when it said that Asia has more restrictive environmental standards, I was finding it hard to believe. I have visited few manufacturing industries in Asia and environmental eco friendly standards are least given attention to. They are more focused on their production and making profits than on eco friendly environment. Some big international companies do promote it, but that to is mostly restrained just to advertising. Most of the industries in Asia are still running on old conventional equipment, and need time to adopt change and incorporate environmental friendly standards.
Excellent article and update on eco-friendly cabling technology. This is a trend that's here to stay, so it good to get an update on recent developments.
Frank, the trend toward being more environmentally friendly is an encouraging one. I wonder if the standards in Asia are really enforced. Perhaps in Japan, but many other Asian countries have laws on the books that their local industries often bypass. Historically they have been used to stifle competition from outside. I feel a lot safer here than anywhere in Asia.
EU standards are strong, but with a lot of manufacturing moving to lower cost countries in Eastern Europe we often see that they are not fully enforced.
Cable standards are important. If you look around you will see a lot of cable. It is good to see companies like Belden innovating to meet the standards.
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