Legal Uncertainty Surrounds Use of Cadmium in Television and Computer Displays for EU Market

Legal Uncertainty Surrounds Use of Cadmium in Television and Computer Displays for EU Market

MANCHESTER, England, October 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --



- Philips branded cadmium based displays to be released into EU



Nanoco, the developer and manufacturer of cadmium-free quantum dots, has challenged
the legality of cadmium quantum dot screens in the EU market, by requesting an official
investigation into the issue through a Petition with the European Parliament.



     (Logo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151002/273375LOGO )




This initiative comes at a time when TPV, under the Philips brand, is reported to
introduce into the European market LCD (liquid-crystal-display) monitors containing
cadmium based quantum dots this month.



In May 2015 the European Parliament voted 618 to 33 to reject a Delegated Act
[http://www.europarl.europa.eu/registre/docs_autres_institutions/commission_europeenne/actes_delegues/2015/00383/COM_ADL%282015%2900383_EN.pdf ]
by the European Commission
extending the use of toxic cadmium in televisions and other displays until July 2018. The
European Parliament considered the European Commission's justifications for maintaining
cadmium exemptions as "manifestly incorrect".



Rather than accepting the European Parliament's vote effectively ending the exemption,
the European Commission decided to reassess whether the exemption should be kept in place
for the future.  



The Petition states that the May 2015 European Parliament vote rejecting the European
Commission legal act exempting cadmium quantum dots in electronic equipment from the
hazardous substance bans under the EU RoHS Directive means that cadmium quantum dots are
consequently no longer legally allowed in the EU as of 1 July 2014.



Michael Edelman, CEO of Manchester, UK-based Nanoco Group plc, a world leader in the
development and manufacture of cadmium-free quantum dots and other nanomaterials, said:



"There is no legal basis for keeping or allowing new cadmium displays in the market.  



"Alternatives are readily available and the previous cadmium quantum dot exemption
expired with the Parliament's vote. 



"The Commission's decision to re-evaluate the cadmium quantum dots exemption therefore
makes no sense - which is why we engaged with the Petitions Committee."   



Note to editors 



Under a 2011 European Directive on Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), the use
of cadmium in TVs, monitors and lighting was permitted until 1 July 2014, after which it
would be illegal.



In January 2015, the European Commission adopted a Delegated Act that would allow
cadmium in displays in Europe until June 2018.  



That Act was rejected by the European Parliament because Parliament concluded that the
Commission's Delegated Act described an outdated situation, since displays using
cadmium-free quantum dots are already widely available across Europe, while cadmium-based
displays had all been withdrawn from the market since 2014.



The reassessment procedure that has now been announced by the European Commission will
take up to four years until May 2019. This will effectively allow cadmium containing
quantum dots displays back into the European market, and for an even longer period than
the July 2018 end date originally adopted by the Commission.



Under a reasoned interpretation of the RoHS Directive, the RoHS Directive does not
give the Commission the power to fully repeat its earlier assessment each time it is
over-ruled by Parliament. Such a system would allow the Commission to extend the use of
cadmium indefinitely. Such system would directly contravene the decision of the European
Parliament and the purpose of the RoHS Directive.



The RoHS Directive (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive) 



EU Directive 2011/65 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in
electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS Directive) bans the use of certain heavy metals
(including cadmium) and selected other hazardous substances in electronic equipment. RoHS
also sets out exemptions from these substance bans for certain essential applications
where no reliable alternatives are available. Exemptions are time limited and renewable
and are decided by the European Commission by means of so-called Delegated Acts.



Cadmium 



Cadmium is a highly toxic and carcinogenic by-product of zinc and copper production.
Cadmium accumulates in the body, so that even low level exposure results in a build up
over time to dangerous levels. It is hazardous in the general environment as well as
direct exposure.



Recital (7) of the RoHS Directive notes that significant amounts of waste electrical
and electronic equipment will end up in normal disposal and that, even if collected
correctly, the controlled substances will still be hazardous to health and the
environment.






Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151002/273375LOGO


Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151002/273375LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151002/273375LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
Nanoco Group Plc

CONTACT: Contacts: Nanoco: Michael Edelman, Chief Executive / Keith Wiggins, Chief Operating Officer: +44-161-603-7900; Instinctif Partners: Adrian Duffield / Lauren Foster, +44-207-457-2040


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