BAFD Recommends RoHS Labeling; Offers Logos

John Wolz

The British Association of Fastener Distributors is urging fastener manufactures and importers to add a logo to packaging for the European Union”s Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive (RoHS).\
“We are very conscious that there will be an extended period during which conforming and non-conforming product will be on distributor”s shelves,” BAFD chairman Steve Auld explained. “Adopting these simple symbols will help avoid confusion and ensure customers receive the correctly specified product.”
BAFD”s two logos indicate when contents conform to the hexavalent chromium free requirements. One logo shows the fasteners are hexavalent free and conforms to RoHS and ELV directives. The other logo labels the products as coated with a Trivalent Chromium system.
The logos and additional information are available at bafd.org.
BAFD also has issued a two-page guide on hexavalent chromium elimination to assist fastener salespeople in explaining key issues with users.
The labeling was suggested by Phil Matten, editor of Fastener & Fixing Europe. The logos are “an attempt to tackle the confusion that clearly exists,” Matten explained. “It will be difficult to achieve any standardization of labeling in practice but by offering something that can be easily adopted” for consistency.
A summary of the BAFD guide on Hexavalent Chromium:
” Hexavalent Chromium (Cr6+, Cr(VI) or Chrome 6) is a “highly toxic form of Chromium, which may, if dumped in landfill sites, contaminate water supplies.” Cr6+ has been used in coatings on plated fasteners.
The European Union will ban use in electrical products effective July 2006 under the Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive and in cars and light vans effective July 2007 with the End of Life Vehicle Directive (ELV).
” Alternative non-toxic coatings have been developed using Trivalent Chromium (Cr3). The alternative coatings are more expensive but also provide more corrosion resistance. Cr3 coatings do not give the yellow color and the “zinc and yellow” no longer indicates superior anticorrosion performance. Distributors and users should be aware that a “bright yellow finish no longer necessarily signifies superior corrosion resistance.”
” Europe has developed a reliable laboratory test for confirmation of Cr6+. It is approved under the DIN NMP 161 “Characteristics of Coatings” as DIN 50993-1 and a draft European standard has been submitted under DIN EN 15-205.
” Supplying non-compliant fasteners to the automotive and electronic sectors could lead to liability and recall claims. �2006 FastenerNews.com