Standards Comparison

    RoHS

    Mandatory
    2011

    EU regulation restricting hazardous substances in EEE

    VS

    ISO 28000

    Voluntary
    2022

    International standard for supply chain security management systems

    Quick Verdict

    RoHS restricts hazardous substances in EEE for EU market access, while ISO 28000 builds security management systems for supply chains. Companies adopt RoHS for legal compliance and recyclability; ISO 28000 for resilience, risk reduction, and stakeholder trust.

    Hazardous Substances

    RoHS

    Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS 2)

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Restricts 10 hazardous substances in homogeneous materials
    • Open-scope applies to all EEE unless excluded
    • Time-limited exemptions via delegated directives
    • Requires technical documentation and EU DoC
    • Tiered verification using IEC 62321 testing methods
    Supply Chain Security

    ISO 28000

    ISO 28000:2022 Security management systems — Requirements

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    12-18 months

    Key Features

    • Risk-based supply chain security management framework
    • PDCA cycle for continual improvement and evaluation
    • Scalable to all organization sizes and industries
    • Integrates with ISO 9001, 27001, 22301 standards
    • Supplier governance and third-party risk controls

    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, amended by 2015/863) is an EU regulation restricting hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) to protect health and environment during waste management. It uses an open-scope approach applying to all EEE unless excluded, with restrictions at homogeneous material level (0.1% w/w default, 0.01% for Cd).

    Key Components

    • **10 restricted substancesPb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI), PBB, PBDE, DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP.
    • **Annexes III/IV exemptionsTime-limited, application-specific allowances.
    • **Compliance modelTechnical documentation per EN IEC 63000, EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC), CE marking where applicable; tiered verification via IEC 62321 methods.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Ensures EU market access, reduces e-waste hazards alongside WEEE Directive, mitigates enforcement risks (fines, recalls). Drives supply chain governance, substitution innovation, ESG credibility, and recyclability for competitive edge.

    Implementation Overview

    Risk-based: Scope analysis, BoM mapping, supplier declarations, targeted testing (XRF screening, ICP-MS/GC-MS confirmation), technical files (10-year retention). Applies to manufacturers/importers of EEE globally selling to EU; no certification but audit-ready evidence for surveillance.

    ISO 28000 Details

    What It Is

    ISO 28000:2022 is an international management system standard titled Security and resilience — Security management systems — Requirements. It provides a risk-based framework for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and improving a security management system (SMS) focused on supply chain protection, covering people, assets, goods, infrastructure, and information.

    Key Components

    • Core clauses: Context, Leadership, Planning, Support, Operation, Performance Evaluation, Improvement (aligned with ISO High Level Structure and PDCA cycle).
    • Emphasizes risk assessment, controls (physical, personnel, procedural), incident response, supplier governance.
    • No fixed controls; proportionate to risks.
    • Supports third-party certification via accredited bodies per ISO 28003.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Reduces disruptions, theft, sabotage; lowers insurance costs.
    • Meets contractual/regulatory demands (e.g., C-TPAT equivalents).
    • Enhances resilience, market access, trade facilitation.
    • Builds stakeholder trust, competitive edge in logistics, manufacturing.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: Gap analysis, risk assessment, controls deployment, audits.
    • Scalable for SMEs to multinationals across industries.
    • 6-36 months typical; requires training, documentation, continual improvement.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    RoHS
    Hazardous substances in EEE materials
    ISO 28000
    Supply chain security management system

    Industry

    RoHS
    Electrical/electronic equipment manufacturers
    ISO 28000
    Logistics, manufacturing, all supply chains

    Nature

    RoHS
    EU directive, mandatory market access
    ISO 28000
    Voluntary ISO management standard

    Testing

    RoHS
    Material analysis (XRF, ICP-MS, GC-MS)
    ISO 28000
    Internal/external audits, risk assessments

    Penalties

    RoHS
    Fines, recalls, market bans by states
    ISO 28000
    Loss of certification, no legal penalties

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about RoHS and ISO 28000

    RoHS FAQ

    ISO 28000 FAQ

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