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Products > Lead (Pb)-free Information >

Lead-Free and EU RoHS Directive


NEC Electronics aims to eliminate lead from the components of all semiconductor products.
Currently, NEC Electronics produces two types of lead-free products.


Type Content
Totally lead free Product that contains no intentional lead in any of its components.
Partially lead free Product that contains no intentional lead in the pin area, but does contain lead in some of its components.


"Contain no intentional lead" means that lead is not used as a constituent material of that component, and that any lead present as an impurity constitutes less than 1000 ppm.


Compliance with RoHS Directive*1

  • Totally lead-free products
    • No component of these products contains more than the maximum permissible amount of substances regulated by the RoHS directive shown in the table below.
  • Partially lead-free products
    • Some components of these products contain lead within the range specified by the RoHS directive for regulation exemptions. However, components other than these do not contain more than the maximum permissible amount of substances regulated by the RoHS directive shown in the table below.

Note(*)

  1. RoHS directive: Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

Substances Regulated by the RoHS Directive and Maximum Permissible Amounts


Substance Permissible amount (ppm)
Lead 1000
Mercury 1000
Cadmium 100
Hexavalent chromium 1000
Polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) 1000
Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) 1000


Items Exempt from RoHS Directive Regulations

There are several items that are exempt from the RoHS regulations. The exemptions that apply to lead-free products from NEC Electronics are as follows.


  • The lead included in the glass used for cathode ray tubes, electronic parts, and fluorescent tubes
  • The lead included in high-melting-point solder (tin/lead solder alloy consisting of 85% lead or more)
  • The lead included in electronic ceramic parts

Customers who still require products that include lead are asked to contact their nearest NEC Electronics sales representative.