Defense Speak Interpreted: If CHIPS Cuts Back, What Happens to Electronics Packaging Funds?
American Made Advocacy: Where’s the Budget for a Modern Military Run on Microelectronics?
Beyond the Board: Orbital High Ground—Why Space Superiority Is Slipping Away
Proposed IEC Standard on Halogen-Free Raises Concerns
July 10, 2017 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Like the game Whack-a-Mole, the idea of a standard for low-halogen electronics keeps popping up. Originally, proposed as an IPC specification of chlorine and bromine in copper-clad laminates, IEC 61249-2-21 was established many years ago to define FR-4 products for halogen-free.
Then about a decade ago, concerns about certain toxic bromine-containing flame-retardants (polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and concerns regarding incomplete combustion of PVC and bromine-containing plastics in electronics led to the passage of the EU WEEE Regulation and RoHS Directive which banned the toxic substances and mandated appropriate handling of waste electronics.
Despite the removal of any toxic halogen-containing compounds from the electronics supply chain, IPC and JEDEC members began discussions about the development of a standard for low halogen electronics. IPC, with its broad membership and open voting processes, never approved the low halogen standard, which was deemed to be a marketing tool posing as an environmental standard. JEDEC, with its narrower membership, went ahead and passed and published "Definition of 'Low Halogen' for Electronic Products” in 2015.
In 2016, the JEDEC standard was temporarily (up to six years) approved by IEC TC 111 (environmental standardization committee) as an IEC publicly available specification (PAS), despite the broad questions that were raised regarding technical validity. Revision and permanent adoption of the standard is now being considered by TC 111. The proposed revision would define electronics as “Low Halogen” when they “contain less than 0,9% (by mass) total elemental halogen content (F+Cl+Br+I) and meet the thresholds of all halogenated substances in IEC 91 62474 database." The proposed standard is concerning not just because of the content of the proposal, but by the labeling of low halogen as an environmental standard.
The standard is in the Committee Draft Phase which means it is being circulated for comments to all IEC TC111 member countries. The deadline for comment is September 15, 2017. If you are concerned, contact your country’s IEC National Committee and the IEC TC111 representatives.
Share on:
Testimonial
"The I-Connect007 team is outstanding—kind, responsive, and a true marketing partner. Their design team created fresh, eye-catching ads, and their editorial support polished our content to let our brand shine. Thank you all! "
Sweeney Ng - CEE PCBSuggested Items
Global Interposer Market to Surge Nearly Fivefold by 2034
09/15/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamRevenue for the global interposer market is projected to climb from $471 million in 2025 to more than $2.3 billion by 2034, according to a new report from Business Research Insights. The growth represents a CAGR of nearly 20 percent over the forecast period.
ICAPE Group Unveils Exclusive Report on Sustainability in Electronics Manufacturing
09/15/2025 | ICAPE GroupICAPE Group, a global leader in printed circuit boards (PCBs) and custom electronics manufacturing, today announces the launch of its 2025 Industry Outlook & Innovation Report: Sustainability in Electronics Manufacturing. This exclusive report is accompanied by fresh insights from a dedicated Statista survey of 100 electronics manufacturing professionals, commissioned by ICAPE Group.
Sustainability and Selective Soldering
09/15/2025 | Dr. Samuel J. McMaster, Pillarhouse InternationalSustainability is more than just a buzzword for the electronics industry; it’s a key goal for all manufacturing processes. This is more than a box-ticking exercise or simply doing a small part for environmentally friendly processes. Moving toward sustainable solutions drives innovation and operational efficiency.
Smartphone Production Rises 4% QoQ in 2Q25 as Inventory Adjustment Ends
09/12/2025 | TrendForceTrendForce’s latest investigations reveal that global smartphone production reached 300 million units in 2Q25, up 4% QoQ and 4.8% YoY, driven by seasonal demand and the recovery of brands such as Oppo and Transsion following inventory adjustments.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
09/12/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007We may be post-Labor Day, but it is still hot-hot-hot here in the great state of Arizona—much like our news cycles, which have continued to snap, crackle, and pop with eye-raising headlines over this past week. In broader global tech news this week, AI and tariff-type restrictions continues to dominate with NVIDIA raising its voice against U.S. lawmakers pushing chip restrictions, ASML investing in a Dutch AI start-up company to the tune of $1.5 billion, and the UAE joining the ranks of the U.S. and China in embracing “open source” with their technology in hopes of accelerating their AI position.