RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive)

Notes

The 2006 lead-free transition raised reflow peak temperatures, which is why moisture sensitivity classification ratings were retightened.

Overview

RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) is the European Union law that limits the use of ten hazardous substances, including lead, mercury and cadmium, in electrical and electronic equipment sold in the EU. Its aims are to protect health and the environment and to make electronic waste safer to recycle. For chip makers it means every package, lead finish and solder bump must meet the limits, or rely on a specific exemption.

How it works

The first directive, 2002/95/EC, took effect in 2006 and was replaced by Directive 2011/65/EU, often called RoHS 2, which applies to essentially any product with an electrical or electronic component unless it is specifically excluded. Delegated Directive (EU) 2015/863 added four phthalates to the original six substances, giving ten: lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, two groups of brominated flame retardants (PBB and PBDE) and the phthalates DEHP, BBP, DBP and DIBP.

The limits apply to each homogeneous material, not to the product as a whole: 0.1 per cent by weight for most substances and 0.01 per cent for cadmium. A chip package is therefore judged material by material, such as the mould compound, the lead plating, the die attach and the solder.

Where no workable alternative exists, time-limited exemptions are listed in the annexes and must be renewed. Lead in high-melting-temperature solders, used inside some packages, is a long-running example. Manufacturers show conformity through technical documentation, commonly prepared to IEC 63000, and the product carries the CE marking. Similar rules exist in other markets, including the UK and China, but with their own scopes and procedures.

Examples

• A chip maker publishing a RoHS declaration for a part, confirming each homogeneous material is under the limits.
• A package whose lead finish was changed from tin-lead plating to a lead-free finish to meet the lead limit.
• A power module that relies on the exemption for lead in high-melting-temperature solder for its die attach.
• A system maker compiling technical documentation to IEC 63000 to support its declaration of conformity and CE marking.

Why it matters

RoHS was a main reason the electronics industry moved to lead-free solders and package finishes, with knock-on effects on assembly and reliability that engineers still manage. Today product compliance and environmental compliance teams issue RoHS declarations for each part number, and package engineers must check every material change against the limits and exemption expiry dates.

In the chip lifecycle, RoHS shapes package and material choices during development, is confirmed at qualification and in compliance documents, and stays relevant through production and end of life, as exemptions expire and customers ask for updated declarations.

It matters most to: Environmental Compliance Engineer, Fab, Product Compliance Engineer, Product Environmental Compliance Manager, Semiconductors, Supply Chain Compliance Specialist (Responsible Minerals and ESG)

Common confusions

Not the same as REACH

REACH is a broader EU chemicals regulation that works through registration and a growing list of substances of very high concern. RoHS bans a fixed list of ten substances in electrical and electronic equipment. RoHS vs REACH

Not the same as WEEE

The WEEE directive deals with collecting and recycling electronic waste, while RoHS limits what goes into new equipment. The two are often mentioned side by side.

Not the same as lead-free

Lead-free describes only one of the ten restricted substances. A part can be lead-free and still fail RoHS on cadmium, a flame retardant or a phthalate.

Related standards

• IEC 63000 (technical documentation for assessing electrical and electronic products against substance restrictions)

Sources

1. RoHS Directive (opens in a new tab), European Commission, 2026-10-22
2. IEC 63000:2016+AMD1:2022 CSV: Technical documentation for the assessment of electrical and electronic products with respect to the restriction of hazardous substances (opens in a new tab), International Electrotechnical Commission, 2026-10-22
3. Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (Wikipedia) (opens in a new tab), Wikimedia Foundation, 2026-10-22

Related terms

• REACH
• WEEE
• IPC
• J-STD-020
• Lead-free solder
• CE marking

Where it appears on the Hub

Used on 13 pages of the Hub. In each group, the pages that mention it most come first.