Worldwide Impacts of Substance Restrictions of ICT Equipment

This paper was developed to depict the worldwide impacts of substance restrictions of ICT equipment. It comprises an overview on hazardous materials in electronics and on the worldwide substance restrictions, which were implemented in the European Union, China, California, Japan and other countries. The direct and secondary impacts of substance restrictions on materials in electronics are described, including the environmental impacts of the substance restrictions and of the substance substitutions, the effects on recycling, the economic impacts and other effects, for example on technological innovation. Present technology trends result in the restriction of further substances that are not part of the scope of the legislation through voluntary agreements and initiatives launched by the manufacturers.