An alliance of big home electronics manufacturers and computer companies are have formed to abolish the use of toxic substances in electronics. The alliance consists of Dell, Acer, HP, and Sony Ericsson and together with interest organizations ChemSec and Clean Production Action they have contacted legislators of the EU and lobbied for a restricting the use of brominated flame retardants (BFR) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) up until 2015.
EU legislators will consider a future restriction of toxic material that might be included in the RoHS directive. There are restrictions against two BFR based substances in RoHS, but the alliance hopes that remaining BFR substances and PVC will also be included.
Cost efficient alternatives for the mentioned substances are already available according to investigations made by ChemSec, but there are still many who still choose to use the more toxic alternatives.
Acer welcomes any help from the legislators to improve manufacturing processes and make them more environmental.
“-The transition away from environmentally sensitive substances, such as brominated flame retardants and PVC is well under way at Acer. However we do not have the leverage to move the entire supply-chain on our own. Legislators can help in this process […] By introducing restrictions, and thereby ensuring that the entire supply-chain is on board, costs are kept down and availability of safer alternative material is promoted,” commented Acer.
One June 3 the Committee on Environment will vote on the RoHS treaty while the European Parliament will consider the treaty in chambers during July 2010.
