RoHS
EU regulation restricting hazardous substances in EEE
IFS Food
International standard for food safety and quality compliance.
Quick Verdict
RoHS restricts hazardous substances in electronics for EU market access, while IFS Food certifies food manufacturers' safety and quality processes via audits. Companies adopt RoHS for legal compliance, IFS for retailer trust and GFSI recognition.
RoHS
Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS 2)
Key Features
- Restricts 10 substances at 0.1% in homogeneous materials
- Open scope applies to all EEE unless excluded
- Time-limited exemptions via delegated acts and reviews
- Requires technical file and EU Declaration of Conformity
- Tiered testing from XRF screening to IEC 62321 methods
IFS Food
IFS Food Version 8
Key Features
- Risk-based Product and Process Approach (PPA) audits
- Minimum 50% on-site production area evaluation
- Mandatory traceability tests on sampled products
- 10 Knock-Out requirements for critical controls
- Annual audits with unannounced Star status option
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
RoHS Details
What It Is
RoHS (Directive 2011/65/EU, recast as RoHS 2) is an EU regulation restricting hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) to protect health and environment during waste management. It applies an open-scope approach to all EEE unless excluded, using homogeneous material concentration limits (0.1% for most, 0.01% for cadmium).
Key Components
- **10 restricted substancesPb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI), PBB, PBDE, DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP.
- **Annexes III/IV exemptionsTime-limited for specific applications.
- **Conformity assessmentTechnical documentation per EN IEC 63000 and EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC).
- Verification methodsIEC 62321** series for testing.
Why Organizations Use It
Ensures EU market access, reduces supply chain risks, prevents fines/recalls, improves recyclability with WEEE, and builds stakeholder trust via ESG alignment. Strategic for global compliance amid variants like China RoHS 2.
Implementation Overview
Risk-based: Scope products, map BoMs to materials, collect supplier declarations, tiered testing (XRF/ICP-MS), build technical files. Applies to manufacturers/importers of EEE; 10-year retention. No certification, but market surveillance audits required. Suits all sizes, complex for multi-tier supply chains.
IFS Food Details
What It Is
IFS Food Version 8 is a GFSI-benchmarked certification framework for auditing product and process compliance in food manufacturing. It ensures products are safe, legal, authentic, and meet customer specifications using a risk-based Product and Process Approach (PPA) with on-site verification.
Key Components
- Organized into governance, HACCP/PRPs, operational controls, and performance monitoring.
- Hundreds of checklist requirements across 5 sections, including 10 Knock-Out (KO) criteria.
- Built on HACCP principles, supplier management, and integrity topics like food fraud/defense.
- Annual audits with A/B/C/D scoring leading to Higher or Foundation levels.
Why Organizations Use It
- Enables European retailer access and reduces duplicate audits.
- Mitigates risks (recalls, contamination, fraud) and builds supply chain trust.
- Provides competitive advantages like Star status via unannounced audits.
- Demonstrates due diligence for legal and stakeholder confidence.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, FSMS development, training, internal audits, certification.
- Applies to food processors/packers globally; site-specific.
- Requires ISO 17065-accredited bodies; mandates PPA audits and traceability tests.
Key Differences
| Aspect | RoHS | IFS Food |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Hazardous substances in EEE materials | Food safety, quality, processes |
| Industry | Electronics/EEE manufacturers, global | Food manufacturers/packers, global |
| Nature | Mandatory EU directive, market access | Voluntary GFSI certification |
| Testing | XRF/ICP-MS on materials, supplier declarations | Annual site audits, traceability tests |
| Penalties | Fines, recalls by Member States | Certification loss, no legal fines |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about RoHS and IFS Food
RoHS FAQ
IFS Food FAQ
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