Chemical Management | ACER ESG
Chemical Management
Chemical Substances Management
Acer is strongly committed to the protection of human health and the conservation of the environment. As to uphold the spirit of the precautionary principle, we abide by all regulatory standards concerning particular chemical substances and demand our suppliers to follow the “Guidance of Restricted Substances in Products”established by Acer to ban or restrict to use chemical substances. All of our notebook, All-In-One desktop and monitor products use LED backlight panel and do not use mercury intentionally.
In accordance with the Declarable Substance List of IEC 62474, Acer has categorized the chemical substances listed into three categories: banned substances, restricted substances and disclosure substances and formulated the "Guidance of Restricted Substances in Products", which is reviewed every year and revised as needed. In addition to the requirements of the RoHS directive, REACH and POPs persistent organic pollutant regulations are also included, requiring suppliers to comply and confirm their compliance before mass production.
Meanwhile, we adhere to the RBA Code of Conduct, requiring suppliers to implement an effective chemical management system, comply with local regulations, conduct proper classification, storage, usage, and disposal of chemicals, and provide adequate protective equipment and training for workers. Please visit Supply Chain Process Chemical Substance Management.
Precautionary Principle
We adopt the principle of early prevention, assessing all potential hazards and chemical substances that may impact the environment：
- Acer strictly forbids continued use of substances that have been confirmed by authorized appraisal agencies to cause irreversible damage to the ecosystem or human health.
- If current scientific technology is unable to confirm certain substances to cause irreversible effects, Acer proactively assesses whether it should continue using such substances
- Until a safer, more suitable substance is made available in the future, Acer will continue to use the substitute. In the meantime, Acer will actively research and develop safer and more suitable substitutes.
- In the case of a dispute, Acer takes responsibility by proactively gathering and providing related proof.
Approach and progress
To align with our green policy, we are being responsible for our products by minimizing the use of hazardous materials, reducing raw material consumption, phasing out environmentally sensitive materials for transparency, and monitoring compliance with international regulations throughout our supply chain.
We continue to have more computers and displays to eliminate PVC, BFRs, and phthalates in compliance with international regulations such as TCO, EPEAT and requirements of Sweden chemical tax reduction. We set the goal that 75% of our notebook computer main boards will be halogen free/low halogen in 2024. We will also continue taking actions to reduce the use of hazardous substances.
Response to the European Union RoHS Directive
Since the European Union' (EU) promulgation of the RoHS directive, Acer has been monitoring its amendments and new process to ensure the compliance of the requirements.
From 3rd January 2013, RoHS recast (RoHS 2) Directive 2011/65/EU enlarges the product scope and introduces the conformity process in harmonization with CE marking methodology. And in 2015, EU commission publishes Directive (EU) 2015/863 to amend Annex II to EU RoHS 2 (Directive 2011/65/EU) to add 4 phthalates (DEHP, BBP, DBP and DIBP) onto the list of restricted substances from 22 July 2019 and our products are RoHS compliant.
Our Response to REACH and SCIP
REACH (which stands for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals) is the name for the European Union' recent chemicals policy, contained in Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 which entered into force on June 1, 2007 (REACH Regulation). REACH places greater responsibility on industry to manage the risks that chemicals may pose to human health and the environment. Under REACH regulation, certain chemical substances, either by themselves, in compositions or in articles may not be manufactured or placed on the market within the European Union unless they have been registered in accordance with the relevant provisions where this is required.
 | RestrictionRestrictions are an instrument to protect human health and the environment from unacceptable risks posed by chemicals. Restrictions are normally used to limit or ban the manufacture, placing on the market (including imports) or use of a substance, but can impose any relevant condition, such as requiring technical measures or specific labels. A restriction may apply to any substance on its own, in a mixture or in an article, including those that do not require registration. Related substances restriction of REACH are also included in Acer standard“Guidance of Restricted Substances in Products” to be deployed in acer' supply chains. |
 | RegistrationPer paragraph 1 of article 7 of the regulation, any producer or importer of articles shall submit a registration to the European Chemicals Agency (“ECHA or Agency”) for any substance contained in those articles, if both the following conditions are met:
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 | NotificationsPer paragraph 2 of article 7 of the regulation, any producer or importer of articles shall notify the Agency, in accordance with paragraph 4 of this Article, if a substance meets the criteria in Article 57 and is identified in accordance with Article 59(1), if both the following conditions are met:
On October 28, 2008, ECHA first listed 15 substances in theCandidate List of Substances of Very High Concern for authorization. The list of substances is updated regularly on ECHA' website. Substances that are included in the Candidate List have been identified as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). These substances may have very serious and often irreversible effects on human health and the environment. Substances on the Candidate List may subsequently become subject to authorization by decision of the European Commission. Acer keeps close attention on the new development of the SVHCs and the Authorization List. Based on Acer' proactive attitude for environmental protection, Acer manages hazardous substances beyond RoHS compliance and develops HSF management schemes following the precautionary principle. To fulfill such principle, we conducted a full inventory together with suppliers for SVHCs and disclose SVHCs and disclose SVHCs over 0.1% (w/w). Acer will keep working with supply chain to seek out any SVHCs contained in our products, and those containing more than 0.1% will be updated onto our website information accordingly. |
 | SCIP notificationThe Waste Framework Directive sets out measures addressing the adverse impacts of the generation and management of waste on the environment and human health, and for improving efficient use of resources which are crucial for the transition to a circular economy. Acer completes SCIP notification in SCIP database in order to help waste operators in sorting and recycling articles that contain Candidate List substances, and support consumers in making informed choices and considering how to best use and dispose of such articles. Furthermore, Acer will remain proactive perspective to collaborate with supply chain to contribute to the progressive substitution of SVHCs in articles, to the development of safer alternatives, and update SCIP notification information accordingly. |
Requirements of European Union Battery Directive
The Directive of Batteries and Accumulators and Waste Batteries and Accumulators (2006/66/EC) and its amendment 2013/56/EU to restrict the use of 0.0005 % of mercury by weight and 0.002% of cadmium by weight.
Requirements of European Union Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
To harmonize national measures concerning the management of packaging and packaging waste by member states and to prevent or reduce its impact on the environment,Directive 94/62/EC was adopted. On 7th February 2013, Directive 2013/2/EU to clearly illustrate the definition of packaging by expanding the list of illustrative examples.
The latest amendment Directive (EU) 2015/720 was published on 29th April 2015 to amend Directive 94/62/EC as regards reducing the consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags. Whereas the sum of concentration levels of lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium present in packaging or packaging components shall not exceed 100ppm remain unchanged.
Hazardous Substance Free Plan (HSF Plan)
We believe that the green product design should contain three key elements – materials, energy and recycling – to develop product with life cycle thinking. Therefore, we work in coordination with international mandates, stakeholders and customers to conduct environmentally friendly designs and maximize eco-effectiveness. Based on the precautionary principle and the Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR), we have started the first phase of the Hazardous Substance Free (HSF) plan for PVC, BFR and phthalates to alleviate the hazardous problems of waste electronics in recycling stage globally. The key factors for alternative substances is that they must not detrimentally influence new product quality, safety, reliability, and they must not endanger human health or pose worse environmental impacts.
We are striving to reach the target of prohibiting the use of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), BFRs (brominated flame retardants) in all newly personal and mobile computing products by working with partners and suppliers. Since its inception from 2005, the HSF Plan has completed a number of programs. After HSF pilot runs for many products, most technical problems have been solved; therefore, many HSF products (with BFRs-free PWBs and casings) have been produced and launched to the market. When technologies were ready for a total phasing in of PVC/ BFRs-free models in 2009, most key component suppliers delayed because the market and the other major brand companies extended their schedule for phasing in, the suppliers would not phase in without additional cost. This change was far beyond our expectation and interrupted Acer' commitments to phase in PVC/ BFRs-free products. Nevertheless, Acer is still trying to increase PVC/BFRs-free products within business tolerance.
As such, Acer hopes that influential regulations can help to restrict PVC/BFRs; the EU directive RoHS might be the most important one. Regulations to prohibit halogen containing products are now critical. If such a regulation can be predicted, the supply chain and the market will go for non-halogen products before the effective date of regulation. This is the quick solution for widely accepted halogen-free products and for the problem that Acer encountered. To aggressively support organo-Cl/Br-free version of RoHS 2.0 revision, Acer attended the Symposium on Global ICT Environmental Initiatives held by Intel and iNEMI in Brussels on October 27-28, 2009. In November 2009, Acer visited Brussels to attend the meeting of organo-Cl/Br-free RoHS version 2.0 and conference of Greening Consumer Electronics-from Hazardous Material to Sustainable Solution. In April 2010, Acer again visited Brussels to attend a meeting with the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, in concern with the development of organo-Cl/Br-free RoHS version 2.0. We discussed Acer' determination to support the organo-Cl/Br-free RoHS version with key EU personnel during the visits. In May 2010, Acer and environmental organizations sent position statements to MEPs and members of the Council of the EU, urging them to restrict more hazardous substances in electronic products in 2015 to avoid more global dioxin formation. Acer will keep evaluating the possibility to join other meetings or groups to support the organo-Cl/Br free RoHS.