McDonald Consulting Group  is the first certified implementer of RoHS/WEEE east of the Rockies, and our CEO/CTO was the Lead Auditor for the first-in-the-world registration to this standard. All of our consultants have been trained in RoHS/WEEE, and we work with you, our clients, to help you comply to the myriad RoHS, WEEE, and HSF 954/QC080000 requirements (including country-specific requirements including China RoHS and Korea RoHS).

RoHS – The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Regulations contained in the RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC) ban the placing on the EU market of new Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) containing more than the set levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium and both polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants from July 1, 2006. There are a number of exempted applications for these substances, still more exemptions being considered.  Other countries and states are adding their own requirements to the mix, making it more difficult to ascertain applicability from country to country.

WEEE - The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive (2002/96/EC) sets requirements relating to criteria for the collection, treatment, recycling and recovery of WEEE. It makes producers responsible for financing most of these activities; retailers/distributors also have responsibilities in terms of the take-back of WEEE and the provision of certain information.

IEA/ECCB 954 or QC 080000 – The standard, entitled “Electrical and Electronic Components and Products Hazardous Substance Free Standard and Requirements” has the reference EIA/ECCB-954 and was released in March 2005 and later updated to QC 080000. This standard specifies technical requirements that manufacturers must meet to ensure that their products conform to new environmental limits, including compliance with the European Union (EU) directives for Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). It allows an organization to demonstrate that they are meeting the requirements of RoHS and WEEE, and to receive external 3rd party confirmation of their compliance.

QC 080000 and ISO 9001

Connection to ISO 9001:2000 – QC 080000 calls for the same requirements as ISO 9001 along with additional requirements particular to HSF (Hazardous Substance Free). HSF practices must be integrated into the quality management system planning and included as elements in the quality objectives.

QC 080000 and ISO 14001

Similarities Between ISO 14001 and QC 080000

Differences Between ISO 14001 and QC 080000

* Charts from Quality Digest article by Mary F. McDonald

Your choice for compliance may come down to one key factor: whether implementing the standard will satisfy your customer’s requirements. If your customer requires its suppliers to register to one of the environmental standards as a prelude to placing an order, you’ll be implementing the standard as a prerequisite of doing business with them. These organizations are the lucky ones because the decision is already made. Less fortunate companies are those with multiple customers–some requiring ISO 14001 and others requiring QC 080000–that compel these organizations to implement two systems. This leads to replication of effort and actions, and greater expense.

Whichever standard you choose to implement, it will be a win-win situation for the environment. Your organization will realize improvements from implementing a green system; hazardous environmental consequences will be minimized or eliminated; and you’ll be able to show external, independent validation that your company is environmentally friendly. That validation will ultimately produce the kind of green that lines your pocket.

Contact us for help with your compliance and disposal issues