Accurate detection of hazardous substance levels in consumer goods is critical because of legislation passed on state and federal levels. The various legislations state acceptable levels of toxic metals and are important because the metals are exactly that…toxic. The regulated substances can cause developmental and health problems in children and adults through direct contact with goods containing the metals and through environmental contamination as a side effect of improper disposal.
Skyray XRF offers solutions for organizations affected by the various hazardous substance regulations. Below is an overview of some of the regulations; feel free to contact us if you have any specific questions or concerns about regulations, how they may affect your company or the in-house testing solutions that Skyray XRF Instruments can offer.
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Substances that are regulated include
Lead (Pb)
Mercury (Hg)
Cadmium (Cd)
Hexavelent Chromium (CrVi)
Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB)
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)
The exact substances and acceptable levels (referred to in parts-per-million, ppm) vary by regulation/legislation.
Common regulations/legislations that are discussed include:
RoHS; Restrictions on Hazardous Substances
WEEE; Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Proposition-65 (a.k.a. Prop-65); California regulation
Lead-Content in Jewelry; California regulation
Toxics in Packaging Law; legislation adopted by fourteen states
Some organizations send product to outside laboratories for destructive testing and analysis.
This approach, however, is not always preferred because outsourcing testing has a few drawbacks:
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Long-Term laboratory and shipping costs
- Hassle of shipping components/products out
- Turn-around time / waiting for results
- Lack of control over the testing
Click below for information on specific hazardous substance affecting your industry:
Toy Industry
Cosmetics
WEEE: Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment:
The WEEE Directive is a European directive that works together with RoHS Legislation to limit the environmental impact of electrical goods that reach the end of their lifespan. WEEE imposes the responsibility for the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment on the manufacturers. Companies are responsible for collecting goods and either disposing of them appropriately or reusing/refurbishing the goods. Additional information can be reviewed at the Wikipedia Listing for WEEE.