NEMA, Rosslyn, Va., supports federal legislation to eliminate or limit the amount of hazardous substances in certain electrical products, the Environmental Design for Electrical Equipment Act of 2009 (EDEE Act), recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The EDEE Act, H.R. 2420, establishes uniform federal standards on the use of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and two flame retardants in certain electroindustry products, similar to those in place under the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substance (RoHS) Directive.
“Today the electroindustry takes another bold step forward in our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship,” says Evan R. Gaddis, NEMA president and CEO. “The EDEE Act codifies our industry’s commitment to responsible, environmentally conscious design of electrical products and demonstrates to the world that we continue to develop innovative products that perform safely and are environmentally friendly." For more information on NEMA’s Environmental Call-to-Action initiative, visit the organization's Web site.