GB/T 26572-2011Requirements of concentration limits for certain restricted substances in electrical and electronic products (English PDF)

1 Scope

This standard specifies the maximum permissible concentrations of restricted substances in electrical and electronic products, together with the rules for judging conformity.

It applies to the control of lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) in electrical and electronic products.

2 Normative references

The following document is indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition, including all amendments, applies.

GB/T 26125-2011 Electrical and electronic products - Determination of six regulated substances (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers) (IEC 62321:2008, IDT)

3 Terms and definitions

For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

3.1 restricted substances. Substances whose use in electrical and electronic products is restricted by laws and regulations or by customer requirements.

3.2 electrical and electronic products, EEP. Equipment and supporting products that work by means of electric current or electromagnetic fields, or that generate, transmit or measure such current and fields, with a rated working voltage not exceeding 1 500 V DC or 1 000 V AC.

3.3 homogeneous materials. Materials of uniform composition throughout, made up of one or more substances.

3.4 components. Structural units within an electrical or electronic product that have a defined function or purpose. Examples include devices, enclosures, brackets, screws, switches and wires.

3.5 test units. Samples that can be submitted directly for testing without further disassembly.

4 Concentration limit requirements

In each of the homogeneous materials that make up an electrical or electronic product, the content of lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers shall not exceed 0.1 % by mass, and the content of cadmium shall not exceed 0.01 % by mass.

5 Test methods

5.1 Classification of test units. To determine whether an electrical or electronic product meets the requirements of Clause 4, the product is first disassembled into test units in accordance with Annex A, following the principle of separating it into homogeneous materials as far as possible, and the units are then classified according to Table 1. Where a classification overlaps or conflicts, the units are classified in the order EEP-A, EEP-B, EEP-C: a unit that can be classified as EEP-A shall not be classified as EEP-B or EEP-C.

Table 1 defines the three categories: EEP-A, the homogeneous materials that make up the product; EEP-B, the metal coatings on the parts of the product; EEP-C, small parts or materials within the product that cannot be disassembled further under current conditions - units with a volume of 4 mm3 or less, such as chip resistors and chip capacitors.

5.2 Determination of the content of restricted substances. The content of restricted substances in each test unit is determined by the test methods of GB/T 26125-2011.

6 Conformity judgement rules

If the content of restricted substances in every test unit separated from an electrical or electronic product meets the requirements of Table 2, the product is judged to conform; if the content in any one test unit fails to meet them, the product is judged not to conform.

Table 2 requires all three categories - EEP-A, EEP-B and EEP-C - to meet the limits laid down in Clause 4. For EEP-B units, hexavalent chromium shall not be detected by the test method given in Annex B of GB/T 26125-2011. For EEP-C units, where an exemption applies to a restricted substance, its effect on the conformity judgement of the material or component shall be taken into account.