Transition of Low-volume Complex Electronic System Industries to Lead-free Electronics

Abstract

The European Parliament's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) legislation requires manufacturers to bear responsibility for the mandatory collection, reuse and recycling of electronics products. The Restriction of the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in electrical and electronic equipment legislation bans use of lead and other hazardous substances in certain electronics products by July 2006. Japanese electronics companies in general have adopted the "green electronics" movement for environmental consciousness and market differentiation. This thesis identifies and analyses the risks to low-volume complex electronic system (LVCES) industries due to the transition to lead-free electronics. The relevance and significance of the lead-free legislation exemptions to the low-volume complex electronic system industries has been analyzed along with how various sectors of the industries can respond to the lead-free legislation exemptions in their product development. Recommendations to mitigate these risks have been developed.