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Czech Republic: Amending Government Decree on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment

SEPTEMBER 2020 - ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of Czech Republic Government Regulation No. 344/2020 has amending the Decree No. 481/2012 of 27/07/2020 act on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. This decree incorporated regulations of 391/2016, 101/2018, 146/2019 and 121/2020 with the amendments that follow from Section 22 of Act No. 22/1997 Coll., on Technical Requirements for products and on amendments to certain Acts, as amended, Act No. 205/2002 Coll. and Act No. 34/2011 Coll., (hereinafter referred to as the “Act”) for the implementation of § 2 letter d), § 12 and 13 of the Act. This act implementing (EU) 2020/364 of 17 December 2019 amending, for the purposes of adapting to scientific and technical progress, Annex IV to Directive 2011/65 / EU.

The aim of the amendment is to introduce new exemptions from the ban on the below-limit content of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, namely lead, hexavalent chromium and cadmium, in specific applications and for a specified period.

Requirements for hazardous substances applies to electrical equipment listed is as follows:

1. In Annex II, Item 9 Hexavalent chromium refrigerators are up to 0.75% by weight in the coolant.
2. In Annex II, Item 9 a I Hexavalent chromium up to 0,75% by weight used as anti-corrosion agent in coolant solutions for carbon steel refrigeration systems in absorption refrigerators (including minibars) designed to operate fully or partially with an electric heater with an average rated electrical input of less than 75 W conditions.
3. In Annex II, Item 9 a II Hexavalent chromium up to 0,75% by weight, used as an anti-corrosion agent in coolant solutions for carbon steel refrigeration systems in absorption refrigerators, as follows:

   a. Carbon steel refrigeration systems in absorption refrigerators (including minibars), or
   b. Designed to function fully with the non-electric heater 

4. In Annex II, Item 41 Lead in solders and electrical and electronic component terminal finishes and in the surface treatment of printed circuit boards used in ignition modules and other electrical and electronic engine control systems, which for technical reasons must be mounted directly on or in the crankcase or cylinder of hand-held internal combustion engines.
5. In Annex III, Item 44 Cadmium in radiation-resistant sensors intended for video cameras with a center resolution of more than 450 television lines, which are used in environments with ionizing radiation exceeding 100 Gy / ha and for a total dose exceeding 100 kGy. 

This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 April 2021, with the exception of the provisions of Article I, points 1 and 8, which shall enter into force on 1 September 2020.

[2] RoHS in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Link 2)