2002/95/EC - Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment

EN-IEC 62321-3-2 specifies the screening analysis of the total bromine (Br) in homogeneous materials found in polymers and electronics by using the analytical technique of combustion ion chromatography (C-IC). This test method has been evaluated for ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), EMC (epoxy molding compound), and PE (polyethylene) within the concentration ranges as specified in Table 1. The use of this method for other types of materials or concentration ranges outside those specified below has not been evaluated.

EN-IEC 62321-4 describes test methods for mercury in polymers, metals and electronics by CV-AAS, CV-AFS, ICP-OES and ICP-MS. This standard specifies the determination of the levels of mercury (Hg) contained in electrotechnical products. These materials are polymers, metals and electronics (e.g. printed wiring boards, cold cathode fluorescent lamps, mercury switches). Batteries containing Hg should be handled as described in [1]1. The interlaboratory study has only evaluated these test methods for plastics, other matrices were not covered. This standard refers to the sample as the object to be processed and measured. What the sample is or how to get to the sample is defined by the entity carrying out the tests. Further guidance on obtaining representative samples from finished electronic products to be tested for levels of regulated substances may be found in IEC 62321-2. It is noted that the selection and/or determination of the sample may affect the interpretation of the test results. This standard describes the use of four methods, namely CV-AAS (cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry), CV-AFS (cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry) ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry), and ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) as well as several procedures for preparing the sample solution from which the most appropriate method of analysis can be selected by experts. Analysis by CV-AAS, CV-AFS, ICP-OES and ICP-MS allows the determination of the target element, mercury, with high precision (uncertainty in the low per cent range) and/or high sensitivity (down to the μg/kg level). The test procedures described in this standard are intended to provide the highest level of accuracy and precision for concentrations of mercury in the range from 4 mg/kg to 1 000 mg/kg. The procedures are not limited for higher concentrations. For direct analysis, using thermal decomposition-gold amalgamation in conjunction with CV-AAS (TD(G)-AAS) can be also applied for mercury analysis without sample digestion, although the detection limits are higher than other methods due to the reduced sample size.

EN-IEC 62321-3-1 describes the screening analysis of five substances, specifically lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), total chromium (Cr) and total bromine (Br) in uniform materials found in electrotechnical products, using the analytical technique of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry. It is applicable to polymers, metals and ceramic materials. The test method may be applied to raw materials, individual materials taken from products and “homogenized” mixtures of more than one material. Screening of a sample is performed using any type of XRF spectrometer, provided it has the performance characteristics specified in this test method. Not all types of XRF spectrometers are suitable for all sizes and shapes of sample. Care should be taken to select the appropriate spectrometer design for the task concerned.

EN-IEC 62321-2 provides strategies of sampling along with the mechanical preparation of samples from electrotechnical products, electronic assemblies and electronic components. These samples can be used for analytical testing to determine the levels of certain substances as described in the test methods in other parts of IEC 62321. Restrictions for substances will vary between geographic regions and from time to time. This Standard describes a generic process for obtaining and preparing samples prior to the determination of any substance which are under concern. This standard does not provide: - full guidance on each and every product that could be classified as electrotechnical equipment. Since there is a huge variety of electrotechnical components, with various structures and processes, along with the continuous innovations in the industry, it is unrealistic to attempt to provide procedures for the disjointment of every type of component; - guidance regarding other routes to gather additional information on certain substances in a product, although the information collected has relevance to the sampling strategies in this standard; - safe disassembly and mechanical disjointment instructions related to electrotechnical products (e.g. mercury-containing switches) and the recycling industry (e.g. how to handle CRTs or the safe removal of batteries). See IEC 62554 [2] for the disjointment and mechanial sample preparation of mercury-containing fluorescent lamps; - the definition of a “unit” as the sample; - sampling procedures for packaging and packaging materials; - analytical procedures to measure the levels of certain substances. This is covered by other standards (for example other parts of IEC 62321), which are referred to as the "test standard" in this standard; - guidelines for assessment of compliance.

EN-IEC 62321-5 describes the test methods for lead, cadmium and chromium in polymers, metals and electronics by AAS, AFS, ICP-OES and ICP-MS. This standard specifies the determination of the levels of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and chromium (Cr) in electrotechnical products. It covers three types of matrices: polymers/polymeric workpieces, metals and alloys and electronics. This standard refers to the sample as the object to be processed and measured. What the sample is or how to get to the sample is defined by the entity carrying out the tests. Further guidance on obtaining representative samples from finished electronic products to be tested for levels of regulated substances may be found in IEC 62321-2. It is noted that the selection and/or determination of the sample may affect the interpretation of the test results. This standard describes the use of four methods, namely AAS (atomic absorption spectrometry), AFS (atomic fluorescence spectrometry), ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry), and ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) as well as several procedures for preparing the sample solution from which the most appropriate method of analysis can be selected by experts. As the hexavalent-Cr analysis is sometimes difficult to determine in polymers and electronics, this standard introduces the screening methods for chrome in polymers and electronics except from AFS. Chromium analysis provides information about the existence of hexavalent- Cr in materials. However, elemental analyses cannot selectively detect hexavalent-Cr; it determines the amount of Cr in all oxidation states in the samples. If Cr amounts exceed the hexavalent-Cr limit, testing for hexavalent-Cr should be performed. The test procedures described in this standard are intended to provide the highest level of accuracy and precision for concentrations of Pb, Cd and Cr that range, in the case of ICPOES and AAS, from 10 mg/kg for Pb, Cd and Cr, in the case of ICP-MS, from 0,1 mg/kg for Pb and Cd in the case of AFS, the range is from 10 mg/kg for Pb and 1.5 mg/kg for Cd. The procedures are not limited for higher concentrations. This standard does not apply to materials containing polyfluorinated polymers because of their stability. If sulfuric acid is used in the analytical procedure, there is a risk of losing Pb, thus resulting in erroneously low values for this analyte. In addition, sulfuric acid and hydrofluoric acid are not suitable for determining Cd by AFS, because it disturbs the reduction of Cd. Limitations and risks occur due to the solution step of the sample, e.g. precipitation of the target or other elements may occur, in which case the residues have to be checked separately or dissolved by another method and then combined with the test sample solution.

IEC 62321-4:2013 describes the use of four test methods for mercury in polymers, metals and electronics, namely CV-AAS (cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry), CV-AFS (cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry) ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry), and ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) as well as several procedures for preparing the sample solution from which the most appropriate method of analysis can be selected by experts.

IEC 62321-5:2013 describes the four test methods for lead, cadmium and chromium in polymers, metals and electronics, namely AAS (atomic absorption spectrometry), AFS (atomic fluorescence spectrometry), ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry), and ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) as well as several procedures for preparing the sample solution from which the most appropriate method of analysis can be selected by experts.

IEC 62321-3-2:2013 specifies the screening analysis of the total bromine (Br) in homogeneous materials found in polymers and electronics by using the analytical technique of combustion ion chromatography (C-IC).

IEC 62321-2:2013 provides strategies of sampling along with the mechanical preparation of samples from electrotechnical products, electronic assemblies and electronic components. These samples can be used for analytical testing to determine the levels of certain substances as described in the test methods in other parts of IEC 62321. Restrictions for substances will vary between geographic regions and from time to time. This Standard describes a generic process for obtaining and preparing samples prior to the determination of any substance which are under concern.

IEC 62321-3-1:2013 describes the screening analysis of five substances, specifically lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), total chromium (Cr) and total bromine (Br) in uniform materials found in electrotechnical products, using the analytical technique of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry.

This part of IEC 62321 refers to the sample as the object to be processed and measured. The nature of the sample and the manner in which it is acquired is defined by the entity carrying out the tests and not by this standard. It is noted that the selection of the sample may affect the interpretation of the test results. While this standard provides guidance on the disassembly procedure employed for obtaining a sample, it does not determine or specify:
• the level of the disassembly procedure required for obtaining a sample;
• the definition of a “unit” or “homogenous material” as the sample;
• conformity assessment procedures.
NOTE Further guidance on assessment procedures may be found in IEC/TR 62476 [2].

IEC 62321-1:2013 refers to the sample as the object to be processed and measured. The nature of the sample and the manner in which it is acquired is defined by the entity carrying out the tests and not by this standard. It provides guidance on the disassembly procedure employed for obtaining a sample. This first edition of IEC 62321-1 is a partial replacement of IEC 62321, forming a structural revision and replacing Clauses 1 to 4.

This European Standard specifies the technical documentation that the manufacturer needs to compile in order to declare compliance with the applicable substance restrictions. The documentation of the manufacturer’s management system is outside the scope of this European Standard.

This European Standard specifies the technical documentation that the manufacturer needs to compile in order to declare compliance with the applicable substance restrictions. The documentation of the manufacturer’s management system is outside the scope of this European Standard.

IEC 62321:2008, which is an International Standard, specifies the determination of the levels of lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) contained in inorganic and organic compounds, and two types of brominated flame retardants, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) contained in electrotechnical products. This standard refers to the sample as the object to be processed and measured. The nature of the sample and the manner in which it is acquired is defined by the entity carrying out the tests and not by this standard. It has the status of a horizontal standard in accordance with IEC Guide 108.