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SAUDI ARABIA ROHS

Following United Arab Emirates RoHS, SASO (Saudi Arabian Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization) has published its Saudi Arabia RoHS regulation.

Saudi Arabia RoHS

The SASO - Saudi Arabia RoHS Scope

As of September 7th, 2021, the draft was incorporated fully into Saudi law as the “Technical Regulation for Restriction of hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment”. The offidical regulation comes with the  Saudi Standard Technical Regulation for Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Appliances and Equipment Guideline.

Manufacturers targeted by this law are granted a transition period of 1 year between July 2021 and July 2022 to ensure compliance with products already sold in Saudi Arabia. Electrical and electronic equipment newly placed on the market must comply as of July 4th, 2022, starting with small household appliances (postponed from the initial date of January 5th, 2022).

The scope is narrower than the EU one. For example, unlike Europe, Saudi Arabia RoHS does not regulate medical devices. Weapons & military equipment, and large-scale stationary industrial tools, are out of scope, which is also the case with EU RoHS.

Saudi Arabia RoHS covers the  following product categories:

Product category

Starting date

Small home electrical appliances

July 4th, 2022

Large home electrical appliances

October 2nd, 2022

Telecommunication and information technology equipment

December 31st, 2022

Lighting equipment

March 31st, 2023

Electrical and electronic tools and equipment

June 29th, 2023

Toys, entertainment devices, and sports equipment

September 27th, 2023

Monitoring and control instruments

December 26th, 2023

And this, for products produced inside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) or imported from other areas.

Saudi Arabia RoHS - Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electronics

Restricted Substances under Saudi Arabia RoHS

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia targets the same first six substances of EU RoHS :

  • Lead (Pb)
  • Mercury (Hg)
  • Cadmium (Cd)
  • Hexavalent chromium (Cr6+)
  • Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB)
  • Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE)

 

The general concentration threshold limits of these substances are also the same: 0.1 %, at the homogeneous material level, barring cadmium, at 0.01 %. 

Heavy metals Minerals

However, some materials benefit from exemptions, such as lead in high melting temperature type solders (lead-based alloys containing 85 % by weight or more lead).

SASO VS. EU RoHS Exemptions

The Saudi exemptions have different references than the European ones. For example, you can find some cross-references between the two jurisdictions:

EU RoHS Exemption Reference

Corresponding SASO RoHS Exemption Reference

Saudi Arabia Description (may differ from the EU Description)

1

1

Mercury in single capped fluorescent lamps (compact) with or without an integrated ballast not exceeding (per burner):

1-b and 1-c

1-a

For general lighting purposes ≥ 30 W and <150 W: 5 mg

-

1-b

For general lighting purposes > 30 W : 2.5mg

-

1-c

For general lighting purposes <30W with long life (>15,000 hours): 3.5 mg

1-e

1-d

For general lighting purposes with circular or square structural shape and tube diameter ≤ 17 mm:7mg

2-a

2

Mercury in double-capped linear fluorescent lamps without an integrated ballast for general lighting purposes not exceeding (per lamp):

2-a-II

2-a

Tri-band phosphor with normal lifetime and a tube diameter< 9 mm (e.g. T2): 5 mg

2-a-III

2-b

Tri-band phosphor with normal lifetime and a tube diameter ≥ 9 mm and ≤ 17 mm (e.g. T5): 5 mg

2-b-III

2-c

Tri-band phosphor with normal lifetime and a tube diameter > 17 mm and ≤ 28 mm (e.g. T8): 8 mg

-

2-d

Tri-band phosphor with normal lifetime and a tube diameter > 28 mm (e.g. T12): 5 mg

-

2-e

Tri-band phosphor with a long lifetime (≥ 15 000 h) and T8 halophophate: 8 mg

3

3

Mercury in other fluorescent lamps without an integrated ballast not exceeding (per lamp):

-

3-a

Non-linear halophosphate lamps )all diameters): 15 mg

-

3-b

Non-linear tri-band phosphor lamps with tube diameter > 17 mm (e.g. T9) :15mg

-

3-c

Lamps for other general lighting and special purposes (e.g. induction lamps):15mg

-

3-d

T12 linear halophosphate lamps: 10 mg

-

4

Mercury in other low-pressure discharge lamps (per lamp): 15mg

4-b

5

Mercury in High-Pressure Sodium (vapor) lamps for general lighting purposes not exceeding (per burner) in lamps with improved color rendering index Ra > 60:

4-b-I

5-a

P ≤ 155 W:30mg

-

5-b

150 W < P ≤ 405 W : 40 mg

4-b-III

5-c

P > 405 W: 40 mg

4-c

6

Mercury in other High-Pressure Sodium (vapor) lamps for general lighting purposes not exceeding (per burner):

4-c-I

6-a

P ≤ 155 W: 25mg

4-c-II

6-b

150 W < P ≤ 405 W : 30mg

4-c-III

6-c

P > 405 W: 40 mg

4-d

7-a

Mercury in High-Pressure Mercury (vapor) lamps (HPMV)

4-e

7-b

Mercury in metal halide lamps (MH)

4-f

7-c

Mercury in other discharge lamps for special purposes not specifically mentioned

5-a

8-a

Lead in glass of cathode-ray tubes

5-b

8-b

Lead in glass of fluorescent tubes not exceeding 0.2 % by weight

6-a

9-a

Lead as an alloying element in steel for machining purposes and in galvanized steel containing up to 0.35 % lead by weight

6-b

9-b

Lead as an alloying element in aluminum containing up to 0.4 % lead by weight

6-c

9-c

Copper alloy containing up to 4 % lead by weight

7-a

10-a

Lead in high melting temperature type solders (i.e. lead-based alloys containing 85 % by weight or more lead)

7-b

10-b

Lead in solders for servers, storage and storage array systems, network infrastructure equipment for switching, signaling, transmission, and network management for telecommunications

7-c-I

10-c

Electrical and electronic components containing lead in a glass or ceramic other than dielectric ceramic in capacitors, e.g. piezoelectronic devices, or in a glass or ceramic matrix compound

7-c-II

10-d

Lead in dielectric ceramic in capacitors for a rated voltage of 125 V AC or 250 V DC or higher

8-b

11

Cadmium and its compounds in electrical contacts

9

12

Hexavalent chromium as an anticorrosion agent of the carbon steel cooling system in absorption refrigerators up to 0.75 % by weight in the cooling solution

9-b

13

Lead in bearing shells and bushes for refrigerant-containing compressors for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) applications

13-a

14-a

Lead in white glasses used for optical applications

13-b

14-b

Cadmium and lead in filter glasses and glasses used for reflectance standards

15

15

Lead in solders to complete a viable electrical connection between semiconductor die and carrier within integrated circuit flip chip packages

17

16

Lead halide as radiant agent in high intensity discharge (HID) lamps used for professional reprography applications

18-b

17

Lead as activator in the fluorescent powder (1% lead by weight or less) of discharge lamps when used as specialty lamps for diazoprinting reprography, lithography, insect traps, photochemical and curing processes containing phosphors such as BSP (BaSi205:Pb)

21

18

Lead and cadmium in printing inks for the application of enamels on glasses, such as borosilicate and soda-lime glasses

24

19

Lead in solders for the soldering to machined through hole discoidal and planar array ceramic multilayer capacitors

25

20

Lead oxide in surface conduction electron emitter displays (SED) used in structural elements, notably in the seal frit and frit

ring

30

21

Cadmium alloys as electrical/mechanical solder joints to electrical conductors located directly on the voice coil in transducers used in high-powered loudspeakers with sound pressure levels of 100 dB (A) and more

31

22

Lead in soldering materials in mercury-free flat fluorescent lamps (which e.g. are used for liquid crystal displays, design or industrial lighting)

32

23

Lead oxide in seal frit used for making window assemblies for Argon and Krypton laser tubes

33

24

Lead in solders for the soldering of thin copper wires of 100 μm diameter and less in power transformers

34

25

Lead in cermet-based trimmer potentiometer elements

37

26

Lead in the plating layer of high voltage diodes on the basis of a zinc borate glass body

38

27

Cadmium and cadmium oxide in thick film pastes used on aluminium bonded beryllium oxide

29

28

Lead linked to crystal glass


How to Comply with Saudi Arabia RoHS?

Use Saudi Recognized Standards

Standard specifications that are recognized by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia include:

IEC International Electrotechnical Commission Logo
  • IEC 63000: Technical documentation for the assessment of electrical and electronic products with respect to the restriction of hazardous substances;
  • SASO IEC 62321: Electrotechnical products – Determination of levels of six regulated substances (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers);
  • IEC 62474: Material declaration for products of and for the electrotechnical industry
  • SASO IEC TR 62476: Guidance for evaluation of product with respect to substance-use restrictions in electrical and electronic products.

Conformity Assessment Procedures

Saudi Arabia RoHS Declaration of Conformity

The regulation annexes detail the expected RoHS technical documents and procedure. In particular, the conformity assessment form (Type 1a), according to IEC / ISO 17067 – Conformity assessment — Fundamentals of product certification and guidelines for product certification schemes, requires:

 

  • General description of the product
  • Design drawings
  • A list of Saudi standard specifications or any other appropriate technical specifications approved by the Authority (above-mentioned)
  • Test reports
  • All supporting evidence of compliance
  • Assessment from a recognized notified body from SASO, issuing a Certificate of Compliance.

Building a Technical File

For each product, its technical file will require the following:

1. Supplier Declaration of Conformity

If the product is deemed RoHS compliant, the supplier will draft a Declaration of Conformity (DoC). Such DoC must meet the blank form in Annex 4 of the Saudi RoHS regulation. The manufacturer must keep a copy of the Type Approval Certificate and archive the technical documentation for ten years.

2. Risk Assessment Document

3. All necessary documents associated with product use and safety, i.e., warnings, cautions, and manuals.

Saudi Arabia RoHS scope

Should you have any questions, comments or needs, don’t hesitate to contact Enviropass.