IEC 62474
March 20, 2024 | Written by GreenSoft Technology, Inc.
IEC 62474 Declarable Substance List Updated
IEC 62474 Declarable Substance List updated to include 5 new SVHCs
On January 25, 2024, the IEC 62474 Declarable Substance List (DSL) was updated to include the 5 new Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) which were added to the EU REACH SVHC Candidate List on January 23, 2024.
Other changes implemented by this update include the following:
- Pentachlorophenol and its salts and esters entry was added to the DSL, along with reference substances which were added to the associated RSL.
- Halogenated Flame Retardants DSL Entry: Updated the Substance Clarification, reporting threshold, Mass Info Requirements, and Comments
- Formaldehyde DSL Entry: Updated the basis description, typical applications, reportable applications, and reporting threshold
Additionally, the IEC team followed this update by posting an updated version of the EU RoHS Annex IV exemption list (dated Oct 20, 2023).
The new DSL version D28.00 can be accessed online here.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) maintains the IEC 62474 declarable substance list in order to identify which substances, substance groups, and material classes need to be included in material declarations for regulations such as EU REACH, EU RoHS, EU POPs, and others.
The IEC 62474 DSL is typically updated whenever substances which are relevant to the electrical and electronics industry and its suppliers are added to various environmental regulation substance lists. The last prior update to the declarable substance list was version D27.00 in July 2023.
What is IEC 62474?
Material declarations, which are used to track and declare the material composition of products, are utilized by the electrical and electrical and electronics industry in order to share information across the supply chain.
To harmonize the transfer of data across the supply chain, the IEC 62474 serves as an International Standard for the exchange of material composition data and sets guidelines for material declarations. The data standard establishes requirements for the reporting of substances and materials, standardizes protocols, and facilitates the transfer and processing of data.
The database specifies to the electrical and electronics industry and its suppliers what substances, substance groups, and material classes need to be included in material declarations. To software developers, the database specifies specifications on the data format for the exchange of material declaration data.
There are six types of information provided in the IEC 62474 database:
- Declarable substance groups and declarable substances (DSL)
- Reference Substances (RSL)
- Material classes (MCL)
- Exemption Lists
- Supplementary Lists and Information
- XML schema for materials declaration
The IEC 62474 Declarable Substance List (DSL) is heavily relied on by electrical and electronics producers to streamline compliance with environmental regulations. IEC National Committees regularly review the lists of substances regulated under various regulations and determine if any given substance or substance group remains in use in electrotechnical products and should be added to the IEC 62474 DSL, thereby screening out the substances that are irrelevant to the electronics industry.
Currently the IEC 62474 DSL contains roughly 200 substances or substance groups that may be contained in electrotechnical products above the reporting thresholds under regulations such as EU REACH, EU RoHS, EU POPs, and others. Electronics producers can reference this list for free online to help expedite their environmental regulation compliance efforts.
The IEC 62474 serves as a pivotal tool for the electrical and electronics industry, providing a comprehensive framework for material declarations. As companies navigate the complexities of regulatory compliance, it remains a valuable resource, offering clarity and guidance to streamline environmental compliance.