Environmental Regulations Shaping Today's Sustainable Supply Chains

On Wednesday, August 31, 2011, Environmental Leader aired a webinar that included an update on RoHS2, REACH, Conflict Minerals, and other key issues driving sustainable sourcing and supply chain initiatives.

The summer of 2011 brought a wave of regulations. The REACH Committee composed of member state representatives kicked off June with a draft Commission Regulation to amend Annex XVII of REACH. In July, an amended RoHS Directive (or “RoHS2”) followed with its long-anticipated overhaul and new restrictions for electrical and electronic equipment (“EEE”). And July 21, 2011 marked the first anniversary of Dodd-Frank legislation and its controversial Conflict Minerals regulations.

RoHS/RoHS2, REACH, and conflict minerals are just a few of the key issues intensifying demands for product compliance and material disclosures. Meanwhile, conflict minerals joins a rising number of human rights concerns that transcend product lifecycles, sourcing and the supply chain. Passing the mid-point of 2011, The webinar explored what these and other issues such as take-back and waste laws have in store for producers, importers, and other stakeholders throughout electronics value chains.

The webinar covered:

The regulations including timelines, scope, marking requirements and exemptions, reporting, record-keeping, informational obligations, registration, compliance, enforcement, sourcing, product lifecycle, tracking and material disclosures.

Speakers included Rick Goss, VP of Environment and Sustainability at the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), Paul Hagen, Principle at Beveridge & Diamond, and Scott Wilson, Sr. Content Strategist at IHS Inc.