Recycling, WEEE, ROHS

Adapting to Europe’s recycling and manufacturing standards

Since August 13, 2005, all of EXFO's manufactured products comply with Directive 2002/96/EC, a legislation enacted by the European Union regulating the disposal of electrical and electronic equipment (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, or WEEE).

As for Directive 2002/95/EC (RoHS), which restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, EXFO's instruments are classified as Category 9 items. Products in this category are exempt from the restriction. However, it is important for EXFO to use Directive 2002/95/EC as a guideline in its product development processes.

EXFO also offers a recycling service for its products sold to the European Community once they have reached the end of their life cycle.

For more information regarding our recycling policies, contact us by e-mail.

You can also reach us by phone at one of the following numbers:

What is WEEE?
WEEE refers to the European Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive, or 2002-96-CE, which involves the mandatory recycling of electric and electronic equipment. For most EXFO products, we are expected to recycle 50% of the total product weight and recuperate 70% of the total product.

What is RoHS?
RoHS, also known as Directive 2002-95-EC, involves limiting the use of hazardous materials in electronic products. These hazardous materials include lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chrome, polybrominated biphenyl ether (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE). EXFO's instruments are classified as Category 9 items. Products in this category are exempt from the restriction. However, it is important for EXFO to use Directive 2002-95-EC as a guideline in its product development processes.

What countries are affected by this directive?
WEEE applies to countries in the European Union, which includes the following:

What is the status in the UK?
The United Kingdom had officially extended the WEEE deadline for producers/manufacturers until 2006.
However, the WEEE regulations were laid before Parliament on 12 December, 2006. The new requirements and obligations on producers and distributors of EEE come into effect as of 1 July 2007.