Zebra changes its stripes in time for RoHS deadline

Zebra Technologies has announced that all its printers are compliant with the European Union’s RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) Directive, which came into force in the EU on July 1. As part of Zebra’s global environmental strategy, all printers sold around the world will be made of components that meet the EU Directive by the end of 2006.

The RoHS directive bans all new electrical equipment containing more than the agreed levels of potentially poisonous metals from the EU market, including lead, mercury and cadmium. Failure to use RoHS compliant equipment can result in hefty fines, or even prison.

Zebra made a seven figure sum investment in order to ensure a smooth change over between old style printers and new, compliant ones. The printers span Zebra’s entire range, from high performance industrial label printers to compact and lightweight portable printers and on-demand plastic card printers.

’Complying with an EU Directive like this can be complicated and expensive, so it was essential that we got it right first time,’ said Richard Hughes-Rowland, product manager EMEA at Zebra. ‘However, it’s important for companies to be aware that non-compliant stock is currently being dumped or sold cheaply all over Europe at the moment, and resellers in particular must ensure their suppliers are providing them with equipment that meets EU standards.’

In addition to reducing or eliminating the use of hazardous substances, Zebra’s environmental policy includes conserving resources, reducing energy consumption, and designing for recycling. As part of its wider environmental strategy, Zebra printers are also compliant with the EU’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive.