| It has not only made it necessary for the domestic electronic component manufacturers to switch over ro alternative materials, but also brought to light the need for more laboratories to certify products meant for exports. |
| Speakers at a seminar here, organised by the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture and the Electronic Industries' Association of India (ELCINA), also noted that compliance with the RoHS norms will have a bearing on the cost of manufacturing components and country's exports will also have to gear up to face the competition. |
| According to the RoHS standards any component being shipped to the EU must be free of five heavy metals, including lead, cadmium and mercury. Besides, the content of such metals in homogenised materials such as plastic covers is also banned. |
| The authorised testing laboratories can issue the RoHS-compliant certificate. However, there are on restrictions supplies meant for the defence use of any country. |
| At present, there are only three laboratories in the country, Mumbai, Bangalore and Gurgaon, which can issue the RoHS certification. This often affects the commitments made to overseas buyers, ELCINA president Sharma said. |
| The Chinese, who have a better track-record on the RoHS front, will steal the show in the race for auto component exports, he added. |
| Welcoming the implementation of RoHS norms, PD Bapat, deputy general manager of Amphenol Interconnect India, said since the US would be implementing the RoHS norms from next year, the domestic industry can prepare in advance. |
| Bapat also noted that India should also define its own RoHS standards, failing which the country will become a dumping ground for components that do not comply with safety norms elsewhere in the world. |
| Gururaj Mirji of Shiva Analyticals India said the non-compliance, if discovered, would result in a penalty and disciplinary actions. |
Top Section
Explore Business Standard