Packaging | Lead-Free Status | European Dir. Compliance | What's driving the move? | Strategies Industry Consortia | Lead-Free Reflow Profile | Literature What's driving the move to lead-free solder processes?  Regulatory Activities The European Council Directive on "Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment" (WEEE) proposes restrictions on the use of lead among other materials in electronic products.  On October 10, 2002 the European Council and European Parliament reached an agreement to set a target date of July 1, 2006 for a ban on hazardous materials including lead. In addition to the Environmental Directorate's two proposals, the Enterprise Directorate has released a draft for a new directive concerning Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE).  The Enterprise Directorate believes this document offers a new approach in addressing materials currently used in electrical and electronic equipment that the WEEE might consider banning. The Japanese Ministry of International Trade has set the following targets:  In April of 1997, the amount of Pb used for automobiles, except for batteries:  End of 2000, be reduced "to half compared to 1996 by the end of 2000".  End of 2005, be reduced to one third.  Introduced legislation promoting the recycling of household electric appliances, to reclaim all Pb used starting in 2001.  Household electric appliances manufacturers are already working towards the creation of completely Pb Phase-out products.  U.S. EPA announced on July 29, 1999, a proposed rule to drastically lower reporting thresholds for Pb and Pb compounds to the Toxic Release Inventory from 10,000 lbs. to 10 lbs.  Packaging | Lead-Free Status | European Dir. Compliance | What's driving the move? | Strategies Industry Consortia | Lead-Free Reflow Profile | Literature