Cartridges, Which are Microchipped, Must be RoHS Compliant

Last week, RT broke the news that new-built cartridges from China are going to have to improve if their manufacturers want to recapture market share in Russia. As of March 1, it is illegal to import IT equipment, printing devices and consumables—including cartridges, inks and toners—that violate RoHS environmental requirements. The news aroused some questions in the industry. Dr Stanislav Malinskiy from Business Inform made a further explanation in reply to RT Media’s interview.

In his reply, Dr. Malinskiy pointed out that : “We understand that it is beneficial for Russian companies importing products that violate RoHS to disseminate information that RoHS requirements do not cover cartridges. And we understand that the statement that cartridges are not covered by RoHS requirements primarily reflects their methods of running a business in Russia. But in the RoHS related documents, there is clear information about products which are specifically prohibited by RoHS, responsibility for the violation of RoHS (who will be fired) and who has to control the goods imported into the Russian market. And these are not customs authorities only.”

“If you want to receive the originals of these documents before translation into Russian, please contact, for example, the ETIRA. We believe that Javier Martinez, President of ETIRA, will share with you all the documents on this topic and give an explanation if they are really interesting for you. The Ministry of Justice of Russia is unlikely to answer similar questions to representatives of commercial organizations.” He added.

However, for all companies that are really interested in this issue, Dr. Malinskiy recommends having a look at the information published on the websites of leading European or American cartridge suppliers. For example, visit the Static Control or Katun websites.

What is RoHS?
It’s an abbreviation that stands for Restriction of Hazardous Substances and it is a directive for the European Union that limits certain chemical substances from appearing in electrical equipment (including both toner and inkjet cartridges which are microchipped).

https://www.scc-inc.com/Newsroom/What-You-Need-to-Know-about-Global-Environmental-S

Do Toner and Ink Cartridges fall under RoHS regulations?
      Yes, if it includes a chip. Since 2018, cartridges with a chip are considered as electrical and electronic equipment, they have included under the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) regulations and fall under category 6 (electrical and electronic tools) of the RoHS Directive.

http://www.katun.com/eu/about-us/environment/rohs/

Related Reading:

Tough New Laws for Aftermarket Cartridges Heading to Russia