Author: Li Zhihong, Consultant, Industry Services Group, Quality, Environmental Safety Department, (Finance) Plastics Industry Technology Development Center
With the rapid development and over-application of technology across various fields, the global environment faces the substantial problem of overexploitation. On the other hand, consumers' increasing awareness of green environmental protection is leading to greater attention to the environmental requirements of product manufacturing processes, prompting industries to address and prioritize this issue. The impact of green environmental issues on businesses includes: barriers to export trade, compliance with international laws and regulations, and challenges to corporate and brand image and corporate social responsibility. This necessitates that many international companies carefully consider how to address the impact of green environmental issues and their corresponding countermeasures. The IECQ international standard and its requirements stem from the principle that effectively integrating management standards is essential to achieving Hazardous Substances Reduction (HSF) in products and production processes. This international standard complements and aligns with the ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS) framework, aiming to provide comprehensive, systematic, and transparent management and control of processes to achieve HSF objectives. Due to varying requirements among brand manufacturers worldwide, the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) and the Electronic Components Certification Board (ECCB) jointly proposed the systematic verification standard for "Hazardous Substance Free (HSF)," EIA/ECCB 954 (provisional first edition, issued March 18, 2005). On October 14, 2005, it became the official IECQ standard, IECQ QC 08000 (second edition). The third edition was issued on June 1, 2012. The fourth edition was issued in May 2017. IECQ QC 080000 fourth edition was revised based on feedback from the third edition. Changes in the fourth edition include: consistency with ISO 9001:2015; adoption of the high-level framework of ISO Annex SL; and adaptation to increasingly stringent global regulations on hazardous substances. This includes the addition of controlled substances, change control, product recalls, supply chain communication, and notification of information regarding Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) 3 (SVHCs) to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) as required by REACH regulations. Top management should appoint a Designated Management Representative (DMR). Organizations should ensure enhanced capabilities are met (e.g., identifying, understanding, and applying applicable laws, regulations, and customer-specific requirements; implementing HSF-reduced product design and development; and the approval of new materials). Enhanced documentation requirements (e.g., declarations of chemical composition, declarations of conformity, supplier declarations or contractual agreements regarding HSF conformity). Expanded requirements for the capabilities of internal auditors (e.g., understanding of this international standard, applicable legal and regulatory requirements and customer requirements, and key HS risks related to materials and processes). Product design and development should consider the development of production processes, tools, fixtures and fixtures, and auxiliary materials; and confirm that the production process includes all activities after final design confirmation, such as manufacturing, packaging, labeling, delivery, and documentation. IECQ QC080000:2017 emphasizes a risk-based approach to the effective management of hazardous substances, adding numerous provisions. For example, the new version provides more specific standards corresponding to regulatory and international manufacturers' explicit management requirements; and includes guiding notes to provide users with practical planning and implementation references. In accordance with EU RoHS and China RoHS directives, the new standard presents the necessary requirements and control practices in the standard and its appendices, specifying how organizations should identify, establish, and implement key processes to manage hazardous substances from a "risk and opportunity" perspective, rather than simply focusing on eliminating and avoiding restricted substances in products. All current high-level management framework standards include requirements for "organizational context" and "handling risks and opportunities," allowing companies to re-examine the completeness of their current HSPM and the strategic direction and opportunities for future HSPM. Furthermore, in areas such as knowledge management, companies should also utilize this opportunity to appropriately preserve and utilize accumulated process knowledge; vertically, this facilitates the operation of upstream and downstream processes, while horizontally, it allows for the sharing of positive and negative case studies across departments. The revised version also incorporates regulatory requirements, presenting the necessary control requirements in the standard so that small and medium-sized enterprises, which have relatively limited access to resources, can clearly understand their responsibilities and obligations when facing regulations such as RoHS and REACH.
To enhance the green competitiveness of enterprises, the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs commissioned the Quality, Environmental and Safety Department of the Plastics Research Institute to implement the "Small and Medium Enterprise Green Little Giant Guidance Program." This program aims to assist manufacturers in meeting international environmental protection requirements and promoting green product design and marketing. Enterprises interested in further green-related issues can visit the Small and Medium Enterprise Green Environmental Protection Information Network at http://green.pidc.org.tw/index.php, or contact Ms. Hsieh Ming-kuei at 04-2359-5900 ext. 301; or email janet@pidc.org.tw for service details.
