Compliance of our products with the RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC) 

Directive 2002/95/EC (the RoHS Directive) sets a prohibition for six substances (hexavalent chromium, lead, cadmium, mercury, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)) in electric and electronic equipment along with a set of exemptions. 

Until several months after its publication, some doubts were expressed as to whether batteries and accumulators were in the scope of this Directive. 

Although a Commission document had been quickly issued to provide guidance on this Directive and to answer this specific question (the EU Commission indicated that RoHS did not apply to batteries), it is only after the batteries directive was published following the co-decision procedure that the three EU institutions, i.e. Parliament, Council and the Commission brought about a unanimous clarification. 

Indeed, recital (9) of this new Directive clearly reaffirms that batteries and accumulators are outside of the scope of RoHS. 

Nevertheless, as early as 2006, the Saft Group had decided to implement a voluntary compliance program with RoHS for its entire product range, with the exception of the active material used in the electrochemical heart of its batteries and accumulators. There is a very limited number of batteries (where the specification is frozen by our customer, or where the quantity manufactured is so low that the costs would not be commensurate with the environmental benefits) for which compliance was not achieved. 

This voluntary compliance program can be formally confirmed to you in writing by your Saft contact. Similarly, Saft is in a position to confirm, upon your request, whether a specific product fulfills this voluntary commitment.