Into The Future With Environmentally Friendly Tech

Philips Moves Into The Future With Environmentally Friendly Technology

Following a European Union directive on the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), Royal Philips Electronics has announced that 75% of its new products will be lead-free by the end of the first quarter of 2005.

The RoHS legislation, which comes into effect from 1 July 2006, bans lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium and brominated flamatoids from electronic products.

Philips eliminated most of these substances from its consumer electronic products from 1998, but is furthering their RoHS compliance programme - leading the EU directive within Europe.

Philips New Zealand CEO, Errol Mackenzie says that although the directive has come from the European Union, Philips initiatives to eliminate lead are being carried out world-wide. “Philips has adopted a more stringent application than our competitors for maximum lead concentration levels. Our commitment to these compliance initiatives will provide even greater environmental and health benefits to consumers world-wide.”

While the EU proposal will enforce no more than 0.01% lead in electronic products, Philips intends to eliminate all lead, where possible. Philips’ lead-free programme goes beyond lead-free soldering to include lead-free components in consumer electronic products from video to baby care.

“As a leading technology company, we go beyond fulfilling minimum legislative requirements and look to how we can contribute to total environmental gains through our products and technologies,” says Mackenzie.

Philips will also ensure its suppliers meet the requirements of the RoHS directive through its sustainability and banned substances declaration, supplier rating system, supplier audits, component database and component chemical tests.

ENDS.

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of EUR 29 billion in 2003. With activities in the three interlocking domains of healthcare, lifestyle and technology and 165,600 employees in more than 60 countries it has market leadership positions in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, color television sets, electric shavers, lighting and one-chip TV products. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.

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