EPSON IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH EUROPE

[Anonymous]

Epson to Achieve Full Compliance with EU RoHS Directive by October
2005
Epson today announced that it had achieved
97%¹ compliance with the European Union’s RoHS directive²
as of the end of February 2005. The company added that it would achieve full
compliance by the end of October 2005³.

To effectively manage
the chemicals used in its products, Epson applied a tool developed by the Japan
Green Procurement Survey Standardization Initiative (JGPSSI)⁴ to
survey and collate information on chemicals in production materials worldwide.
In cooperation with its suppliers, the company entered approximately 120,000
items of information relating to chemical substances into a database. On the
basis of this information, Epson conducted more detailed surveys and introduced
alternatives for production materials containing chemicals targeted by the EU
RoHS Directive, progressing toward total elimination of such
substances.

Preparations for compliance with the directive are now almost
complete, but with global technology development prospects still uncertain,
compliance may not be possible for some components due to technical issues. The
whisker problem⁵ with connectors is a typical case, and Epson is
currently working through industry groups to apply to the European Commission
for an exemption. The company expects to resolve these remaining issues by the
end of October 2005, eight months in advance of the required date of July 1,
2006.

With similar regulations scheduled to be established in China,
South Korea, Thailand and the United States, management of chemical substances
is set to become an increasingly critical issue from the points of view of both
product safety guarantees and environmental protection. Epson intends to extend
its strict management of chemicals even beyond the scope of the EU RoHS
directive to its full product lineup.

Notes
1. Proportion of
compliant parts.

2. Published on February 13, 2003. From July 1, 2006 the
directive will restrict the use of the six chemical substances listed below in
electrical and electronic equipment on the EU market. However, certain
applications are exempt from compliance.

Chemicals targeted: lead, mercury,
cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBBs (polybrominated biphenyls) and PBDEs
(polybrominated biphenyl ethers) 

3. Excluding cases where customers demand
products that do not comply with the EU directive. 

4. An industry group
dedicated to standardizing green purchasing. It is under the umbrella of the
Japan Electronics and Information Technology Association.

5. If components
are made lead-free, needle crystals called whiskers could form, creating a risk
of short circuits.

About Epson
The Epson Group increases its
corporate value through its innovative and creative culture. Dedicated to
providing its customers with digital image innovation, its main product lines
comprise information-related equipment such as printers and projectors,
electronic devices including displays, liquid crystal panels for projectors,
semiconductors and quartz devices, and precision products such as watches. Epson
products are known throughout the world for their superior quality,
functionality, compactness and energy efficiency.
The Epson Group is a
network of 84,899 employees in 110 companies around the world, and is proud of
its ongoing contributions to the global environment and to the communities in
which it is located.

[Author]

June 11, 2005 at 11:42 AM