Is solder supply to the EU at risk beyond 2008?

London, Suara Indonesia News, (PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Concerns that the new EU REACH Regulation will disrupt metal and chemical supply to the EU could begin to be realised by the end of this year if importers don't take action. REACH will affect every company within the EU, especially those depending on non-EU suppliers. However with little or no understanding of how REACH will affect their businesses, and with the first REACH deadline looming at the end of November, there are concerns that compliance within the electronics supply chains will not be achieved within the required timescales.

Results of an IPC survey of solder suppliers (http://www.ipc.org/3.0_Industry 3.4_EHS/2008 REACH-readiness-survey-report-July -2008.pdf) page 8 are worrying when less than 3 months for REACH pre-registration remain. When asked about readiness for REACH compliance, most scored a 1 (none) in response to a 10 point scale. Companies may not understand that non-compliance could lead to exclusion from the EU market resulting in interruptions in trade."While supply of tin ingots to the EU should continue fairly smoothly due to the actions already taken by metal producers to pre-register, little is known of the plans of tin alloy or solder importers in the EU," comments Kay Nimmo, Manager of Environmental Affairs at ITRI and Secretariat to the REACH Tin Metal Consortium. "Tin, as well as other metals in alloys imported as bar, wire, and/or paste will all need to be pre-registered under REACH by the EU importer or a representative on behalf of the non-EU producer. It is a concern that only a few solder companies have so far pre-registered for import of tin in alloy form."

REACH aims to ensure that information is available on all chemicals and metals manufactured and/or used in the EU, in order to minimise any possible risk to human health, or the environment. Suppliers will need to submit this information at registration, the deadline for which can be extended, following timely pre-registration.

Since 2005, ITRI has been making preparations for REACH on behalf of the tin industry by collecting and generating the data that tin suppliers and users will need in order to comply.

To join the Tin Metal REACH Consortium, please contact Kay Nimmo
(tel: +44(0)1727-871-312, email: kay.nimmo@itri.co.uk).
Source: ITRI