US company puts EU member states to shame
Under the directives, manufacturers have until July 1, 2006, to ensure that the banned substances are not present in new equipment sold into the market. Dow Corning says that its products offered to this sector in Europe have been in compliance with the legislation since it was first proposed early last year.
"Although WEEE and RoHS are European Union directives, the impacts on the electronics industry supply chain are global," says Keith Huckle, global product steward and risk manager for Dow Corning. "For these companies, the cost of compliance grows exponentially as deadlines draw near. Dow Corning understands the value of acting early, and we work with companies throughout the supply chain to stay ahead of deadlines. It's not only the right thing to do, but it makes good business sense. Customers benefit because they know they won't find themselves in a costly out-of-compliance situation with Dow Corning products."
To ensure early compliance with the WEEE/RoHS directives, Dow Corning tracked the development of the legislation, educated raw materials suppliers about the pending changes and implemented product line adjustments as needed. The work is part of the company's Product Stewardship Program under which Dow Corning continuously monitors, prepares and plans for regulatory changes affecting its business, customers and partners throughout the supply chain. Dow Corning also began offering environment, health and safety (EHS) and analytical testing services to other companies last year.
