Introduction
What are the WEEE and RoHS Directives?
How will the Directives affect my company?
Actions for complying with WEEE
Restrictions Exemptions and Dates
Where do RoHS Materials Occur?
Lead
Cadmium
Hexavalent chrome
Certain brominated flame retardants
Interactive Examples
Testing for RoHS compliance
Alternatives to RoHS materials
Lead
Mercury
Cadmium
Hexavalent chrome
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polybrominated biphenyls
Summary
Reporting RoHS compliance
Supply chain compliance
Producers actions
Suppliers actions
RoHS documentation
Practical Action for RoHS
Lead Free
How do I raise awareness?
Tools resources and further information
Site map


Mercury

It has been estimated that electrical and electronic equipment accounts for 22% of the annual world consumption of mercury. It is used in thermostats, sensors, relays, switches (e.g. on printed circuit boards and in measuring equipment), medical equipment, fluorescent lamps, mobile phones and in batteries.

Mercury is also used in the back-lights of flat panel displays, and this usage is set to increase as they are replacing conventional cathode ray tubes in many applications.

Laptop computers, flat panel displays and digital cameras may all therefore contain small amounts of mercury. Usage in batteries, however, has been decreasing for some years and mercury is now found only in button cells that power relatively small electronic goods such as watches, toys and cameras.