HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES MANAGEMENT

LG Electronics is researching and developing technology for the management and replacement of hazardous substances.

Hazardous Substances Management Policy

LG Electronics complies with Global regulations on hazardous substances including RoHS and REACH. Also, LGE is in the process of voluntarily replacing substances, including PVC and BFRs, after safety and reliability tests indicate that it is safe to do so. LGE has continuously operated “Green Program Plus” for supplier management from 2005 and monitor hazardous substance usage throughout the entire process of product manufacturing.

LGE recognizes that existing legal requirements are not always enough to protect human and the environment. Our basic decision-making approach regarding the use of certain substances is based on their scientifically proven impacts on the environment and human, also considering the technical and economical feasibility of the available alternatives. If the impacts on the environment and human are not scientifically proven, but there is enough doubt that there might be an adverse effect, LGE will follow the Precautionary Principle as referred to in the 1992 Rio Declaration (UN Earth Summit).

Hazardous Substances Management Standard

LG Electronics developed stricter standards than the EU RoHS Directive requires by classifying materials other than the ten hazardous substances ensuring that even non-regulated substances that are suspected to be hazardous are minimized in products.

LEVEL A-Ⅰ comprise ten hazardous substances that are specified in the EU RoHS directive. 
LEVEL A-Ⅱ comprise substances that are either by various national or Global legislation(other than RoHS directive) or substances that LG Electronics has decided to phase out due to the risk it poses to human health and the environment. 

LEVEL B-Ⅰ includes substances that can be reduced voluntarily.
LEVEL B-Ⅱ includes substances that can be monitored though they are not currently prohibited of use.

See details of hazardous substances.

Monitoring System

Hazardous Substance Management IT System

LG Electronics manages and monitors the material information using HSMS (Hazardous Substance Management System). LGE receives the material information and compliance evidence from supplier before the part incoming to the LGE. If suppliers don’t input them, they cannot supply any parts / models into LGE systemically.

  • Hazardous Substance Monitoring in the Production Process
    LG Electronics operates an inspection system, whereby the content of hazardous substances is assessed right down to the last detail. All LGE’s production sites around the world use X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) equipment in order to examine whether or not any parts or products contain hazardous substances.
  • Hazardous Substance Analysis Lab
    LG Electronics has been operating the precision analysis accredited environmental testing lab for hazardous substances, which is equipped with ICP-OES, ICP-MS, GC-MS, UV-Vis, HPLC, VOC chamber and IC. The lab has been supporting hazardous substances reduction and verification of greener products via testing for high-risk materials and inspecting parts and products for compliance with internal limits on hazardous substances. It was designated as an authorized testing lab for 4 EU RoHS hazardous substances by UL (Underwriters Laboratories) in 2005, and designated as an authorized testing lab for six hazardous substances (RoHS) by Germany’s TÜV Rhineland in 2006. In 2009, the lab was accredited by TÜV Rheinland for analysis of 15 high risk substances (SVHC) which were added to the EU REACH Regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization & Restriction of CHemicals) at the end of 2008 ; the lab was also accredited to test for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that could be emitted when using electronics.

    The lab was also recognized as an ISO 17025 certified testing lab for EU RoHS six hazardous substances and phthalates for which the lab’s analytical capability was recognized as meeting the Global standard requirements.

EU REACH Regulation Compliance

The REACH (Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of CHemicals) regulation is a European Community law which went into force in June 2007 and consolidates all of the existing EU regulations on chemical substances. The law requires the registration, evaluation, and authorization of all substances that are manufactured or imported into the EU depending on their weight and health risk.

In response, LGE has established a step-by-step process and is committed to providing our customers with information about the chemicals in products, as required for compliance with REACH. For the first stage of the response, LGE requires all relevant supplier to (pre)-register substances and preparations used in industrial (including engineering) processes and will also monitor and support (pre)-registration by our suppliers. 

LGE‘s obligation to provide SVHC information is only applicable if a substance included on the candidate list is present in an article in a concentration above 0.1% weight by weight(w/w), as per REACH. The SVHC "candidate list" can be updated at any time i.e. it is a "living list". As soon as a SVHC appears on the "candidate list", suppliers of articles containing the SVHC must forward information on the listed SVHC contained in the article (above a concentration of 0.1% (w/w) to article recipients. An updated version of the “candidate list” can be found in the ECHA website: http://echa.europa.eu 

LGE's REACH Article 33 information on SVHC:

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