CORPORATE COMPLIANCE

 

Environmental Responsibility

Atech Flash Technology, Inc (AFT) is committed to operating our business in a manner that is Environmentally Responsible.  AFT is striving to eliminate the use of heavy metals and toxic substances in the production of our products.  Our Green Policy requires us to restrict or eliminate the use of these chemicals and materials.  We have also made revisions to minimize our product packaging footprint.  We also use materials that are easy to recycle.  Our Green Policy manufacturing processes allows us to provide lead-free and green products to our customers who require it.  

 

Our products meet applicable worldwide environmental regulations and requirements, including China RoHS, EU RoHS, EU REACH, and WEEE.

 

 

EU RoHS 2 Directive (2011/65/EU)

 

The RoHS 2 Directive (2011/65/EU) Directive 2011/65/EU was passed into law on 21 July 2011. The Directive is a recast of the current Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS 1) Directive that was passed into law by the European Union (EU) in 2003.  The recast addresses the same elements from the 2003 Directive: lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chrome, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE).  However, the scope now includes the assessment of new hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE).  RoHS 2 is mainly aimed at developing better regulatory conditions and increasing the level of legal clarity.  It also provides for a gradual extension of the RoHS requirements to all EEE, cables and spare parts with a view to full compliance by July 22, 2019.  RoHS 2 also includes marking (CE marking) and declaration of conformity requirements.  RoHS 2 comes into effect on January 2, 2013.  

 

This declaration is based on analysis, vendor supplied analysis or material certifications, supplier declarations in any means, and/or lab test results of the component raw materials used in the manufacturing process of AFT products.  AFT has worked diligently to ensure that all of AFT’s products and their packaging materials sold to Europe are fully RoHS 2-compliant.  A Declaration of RoHS 2 Compliance can be provided upon request.

 

Restricted substances referred to in the RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU and maximum concentration values tolerated in homogeneous materials are: 

 

• Cadmium (Cd) < 100 PPM

• Lead (Pb) < 1000 PPM

• Mercury (Hg) < 1000 PPM

• Hexavalent Chromium (CrVI) < 1000 PPM

• Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB) < 1000 PPM

• Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) < 1000 PPM

 

 

China RoHS Compliance

 

China RoHS is similar to its European counterpart in that it prohibits the use of heavy metals (Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium) and two brominated compounds (Polybrominated Biphenyls and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers). China RoHS differs in having two phases, having no exemptions, requiring marking of product to show compliance, and requiring testing of product to show conformity in implementing the second phase.

AFT is fully committed to environment protection and sustainable development and has set in place a comprehensive program, in conjunction with our customers and suppliers, for removing polluting and hazardous substances from all of its products where this is technically feasible.

 

 

WEEE Directive (2002/96/EC)

 

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) apply to companies that manufacture, sell, and distribute electrical and electronic equipment in the E.U.  It covers a wide range of large and small household appliances, IT equipment, radio and audio equipment, electrical tools, telecommunications equipment, electrical toys, etc.  

 

Under the recently introduced EU directive on WEEE, producers of EEE who place product onto the EU market are obliged to identify equipment suitable for recycling and allow it to be separated from other waste streams.  The "crossed out wheelie bin" symbol with a black bar beneath it denotes that the product falls within these WEEE directive guidelines and will always be found either on printed directly on the product or within the user instructions.  

 

As a producer of WEEE, AFT Electronics, Inc. must support its market share proportion of the financial burden of the collection, treatment and recycling of EEE products, and so is legally required to register with a compliance scheme.

 

 

Conflict Metals

 

Conflict minerals pertain to certain minerals such as cobalt (Co), gold (Au), tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W) and tin (Sn).  These minerals which are commonly used in the electronics industry and they have a variety of sources that are mined in countries where conditions of armed conflict and human rights abuses are reported to be occurring.   The eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been determined to be a "Conflict Region" recently.  

 

As a manufacturer of products that contain cobalt, gold, tantalum, tungsten and tin, AFT is committed to sourcing these materials only from socially and environmentally responsible suppliers.

 

AFT expects our suppliers to adhere to the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct (www.eicc.info) and do not knowingly use any metals originating from Conflict Regions.