Future RoHS restrictions may be modeled on REACH

According to an article in Electronics Weekly, companies in the European electronics industry are starting to prefer the REACH approach to substance restrictions over the RoHS approach. There increasingly appears to be a consensus by industry, the EC and many politicians that the REACH approach should be used for future RoHS restrictions once the recast enters force.

The basis for RoHS and REACH substance restrictions are quite different. Restrictions in the original RoHS directive were based on hazards - if a substance is hazardous and there are alternatives, then it could be banned. REACH restrictions are introduced only if a risk to human health or the environment can be proven, it cannot be controlled and safer substitutes exist.