About the Wire and Cable Initiative
History
In early 2001, TURI sought to look at alternatives to lead and other toxic chemicals used in the manufacturing of coated wire and cable. The first supply chain meeting was held in June 2001 and the participants expressed a strong interest in maintaining the dialogue and meeting periodically to get an update on legislative issues and the development of alternatives.
Regulatory Drivers
There has been a growing movement, particularly in Europe, to control the end-of-life disposal of electrical equipment and electronics. Most of this equipment contains lead, halogenated flame-retardant additives, and other hazardous and toxic materials that need to be handled properly to minimize their impact on the environment and human health.
In Europe, this movement has resulted in the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restrictions on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directives. There are three major objectives of the directives:
- to prevent or reduce waste from electrical and electronic equipment;
- to promote re-use, recovery, and recycling of the equipment; and
- to minimize the environmental risks associated with the recycling, treatment and disposal of the equipment.
The RoHS directive further includes provisions for a phase-out of some hazardous substances, including lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, cadmium and PBB and PBDE brominated flame retardants. Japan has enacted legislation similar to the WEEE Directive covering three categories of electronic products. In the U.S., the chief drivers for change include a focus on lead in wire and cable products under California Proposition 65 and the US EPA`s recent focus on PBT`s - persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances.
Market Drivers
Many large companies have taken the initiative to eliminate materials of concern from their products where possible, even in the absence of regulatory requirements. In particular, many Japanese electronics companies have begun to phase out lead and halogenated compounds from their products. These requirements move down the supply chain to manufacturers all over the world, who find that they must be able to supply components without these materials or lose the business.
The Challenge
Meeting these challenges and shaping the future of the industry will require a coordinated effort by suppliers, customers, and manufacturers of cable and wire, researchers developing innovative materials and technologies, and those who set the standards for the industry. In order to keep Massachusetts industry competitive while reducing toxics use, the Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute is supporting research, testing and demonstration of innovative materials. Workshops are also being held to update firms on the latest information and to facilitate communication across the supply chain. These meetings will provide an opportunity for industry input into the direction of research, development and testing of materials for the coated wire and cable industry that meet both economic and environmental goals