Managing Hazardous Waste

We protect the environment and communities by ensuring compliance with hazardous waste laws

Restrictions on the use of Certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in Electronic Devices

California’s RoHS law

California modeled its RoHS law after the European Union’s (EU’s) Directive 2002/95/EC. The EU Directive bans using certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment sold in the EU.

California’s RoHS law and regulations prohibit the sale of a device that:

is a covered electronic device (CED) in California AND
cannot be sold in the EU due to high concentrations of certain hazardous substances (e.g., lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium).

What is RoHS?

RoHS = Restriction on the use of certain Hazardous Substances

California established its RoHS law in 2007. The law limits using certain hazardous heavy metals in covered electronic devices. Limiting their use in CEDs prevents those metals from contaminating landfills and our surrounding environment.

» Read California’s RoHS law and regulations

Who does California’s RoHS law apply to?

RoHS applies to anyone who sells, or offers for sale, a CED in California.

This includes CED:

Manufacturers
Distributors
Wholesalers
Retailers

Note If a CED is subject to either of the following EU Directives instead of the EU’s RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC), then the CED is not be subject to California’s RoHS law.