Green SupplyLine | Korea issues environmental legislation with RoHS, WEEE and ELV traits

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First look at Korea RoHS legislation

By Michael Kirschner and Kenneth Stanvick, Design Chain Associates, LLC

Green SupplyLine
(04/14/2006 10:22 AM EDT)

Korea issued its RoHS/WEEE/ELV-like legislation called "The Act for Resource Recycling of Electrical/Electronic Products and Automobiles” to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on March 30, 2006. As a first look at the new legislation, the scope is very broad and inclusive and has RoHS, ELV, and WEEE aspects to it. Anything electrical or electronic (as well as parts) is included along with automobiles.

The environmental legislation targets the following:

Restriction of materials, which are not yet specified

Once the proposed Act is passed these will be defined. Consistency with EU RoHS is expected, according to the Korea Ministry of Environment (MoE).
Exemptions for materials with no known substitute or those that cannot be eliminated from a product will be allowed and will be prescribed by the MoE.
An exemption request process and maximum concentration values are not specified

Marking of products based on hazardous material content in order to improve recycling efficiency (along with a welcome note that international harmonization and mutual recognition of marking standards would be preferable)

Design for Environment ("improvement in material/structure aspect") via the use of more recyclable materials and simpler disassembly.

Extended producer responsibility through ownership of the recycling process or joining a "collective", termed a "Recycling Business Mutual Aid Association" (Fees are to be announced.) The Minister of Environment and the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy will determine and publish methods for analyzing hazardous substances, and methods to evaluate improvement in material/structure aspect and recyclability/recoverability. No timeframe has been indicated for this.

Manufacturers will be responsible for, among other things, collecting and managing the material composition data that shows their compliance to the law, in addition to having to show this to credentialed government officials on demand.

The one aspect of this legislation that is spelled out in fair detail is the penalty provision. For example, failure to provide data to government officials regarding material composition could result in one year in jail and a fine of up to $50,000.

Note that this legislation only has a 45-day comment period (through to May 13), and targets an enforce date of July 1, 2007. Stay up-to-date at: www.korearohs.com

You can reach Design Chain Associates at info@designchainassociates.com or 1-866-DCA-7676.