China: Chinese RoHS to cover phthalates

China has proposed to add phthalates to the national RoHS Regulation.

On March 14th, 2022, the China Working Group on Pollution Prevention Standards for Electrical and Electronic Products of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) organized a meeting to deepen the management of restricted use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products by planning to include four phthalates to the National RoHS measure.

Currently, China restricts lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), PBB and PBDEs in 12 electronic and electrical product categories. The Working Group is now considering to add the following four phthalates:

DEHP (CAS: 117-81-7)
BBP (CAS: 85-68-7)
DBP (CAS: 84-74-2)
DIBP (CAS: 84-69-5)

to the list of hazardous substances of “Measures for the administration of restricted use of harmful substances in electrical and electronic products” (China RoHS) and further strengthen the China RoHS supervision and management mechanism.

China RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances), officially known as Administrative Measure on the Control of Pollution Caused by Electronic Information Products is a Chinese government regulation to control certain materials. In many aspects, it reflects the EU RoHS Directive.

All items shipped to China must be marked with its proper marking for the restriction of the use of hazardous substances per standard SJ/T 11364 as to whether the item is compliant or non-compliant.

Mandatory compliance to China RoHS II restriction limits are applicable to twelve product types and defined in the EEP Catalogue: