News

e-WASTE: First round to the environment at the IEC

06/13/2008 -- A majority in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has rejected a move to put more flame-retardant chemicals in electronics. But environmentalists caution that one battle has not won the war on environmentally hazardous technology. The following letter was send by environmental NGO Groundwork.

May 7, 2008

Dear all,

I am very happy to announce that the majority in the IEC rejected the implementation of the flame retarding standard IEC 62368. Implementation of this global standard (IEC 62368, Technical requirements for all electronic equipment) would have doubled the use (estimations of increased use vary between 250 000 - 750 000 tons) of flame retardants in electronic equipment potentially causing great harm to human health and the environment.

The outcome of the vote in the National Committees of the IEC (International Electrotechnical Committee) became public on the 24th April. In total 18 of 31 voting countries (58%) cast a no vote to this new standard.

However please note there are an additional two upcoming amendments of existing standards containing the same environmental hazards. The amendments of these existing standards (60065 and 60950) are up for voting in a near future and they must be stopped for the same reason.

Worryingly South Africa voted in favour of this Standard (The Results of Voting on IEC Standard 62368 are attached) and I would like to understand why this is the case.

Kind regards Rico Euripidou (Groundwork)

Date: 06/13/2008
Location: Dem. Rep. of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Theme: National ICT Strategies