Toxic cadmium one step closer to EU-wide ban

The European Parliament voted on 20 May 2015 to re-assess the used of cadmium in TV sets sold across the European Union, saying safer alternatives to the toxic and carcinogenic substance were widely available.

The substance was exempted from the EU directive on the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) because safer alternatives were not available at the time of adoption, in 2002. RoHS requires replacing heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium, with safer alternatives, when available.

ESO: Background information: Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment http://www.europeansources.info/record/directive-2011-65-eu-of-the-european-parliament-and-of-the-council-of-8-june-2011-on-the-restriction-of-the-use-of-certain-hazardous-substances-in-electrical-and-electronic-equipment/

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