RoHS Exceptions: RoHS compliant but contains Lead (PB)

‘RoHS’ stands for Restriction of Hazardous Substances. RoHS, also known as Directive 2002/95/EC, which originated in the European Union. A frequency asked question Digi-Key receives is why a part is marked RoHS compliant but contains Lead (Pb), which normally disqualifies a part for RoHS compliance. Some may test the part to confirm whether it contains PB and it may confuse them over the definition of “RoHS compliant”.

Yes, RoHS restricts the use of specific hazardous materials found in electrical and electronic products. However, there are exceptions on the use of chemicals in certain products which have been put in place because these components contains hazardous substances that it would be technically or scientifically impracticable to prohibit at present. As such, these parts are considered RoHS compliant by exemption.

Here are some RoHS exception examples that are being asked often for IC components:

  • Lead in high melting temperature type solders (i.e. lead-based alloys containing 85% by weight or more lead)
  • Lead in solders to complete a viable electrical connection between semiconduction die and carrier within integrated circuit flip chip packages
  • Lead in cermet-based trimmer potentiometer elements

For example HD01-T from Diodes is RoHS compliant but contains PB.

About RoHS material information in Digi-Key, please visit below thread.