A detailed look at RoHS, REACH, and Prop 65 substances in plastics

On 9 October 2019, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on restricted materials in plastics.  The webinar will be a technical exploration of plastic additives and related RoHS, REACH, and Prop 65 restricted substances.  The webinar will include a detailed breakdown of a PVC cable as an example, including the additives and the potential restricted substances.

As the EU RoHS, EU REACH Regulation, and California Proposition 65 increase their list of restricted substances, most restricted substances professionals would benefit from a more detailed look at plastic additives and their specific risks.  Claigan will review plastics, with a focus on PVC, to explain the base resin, as well as most of the additive options including plasticizers (primary and secondary), flame retardants, synergists, colourants, stabilizers, fillers, lubricants, and anti-oxidants.  The use and concentration of each additive will be explained along with the common restricted materials found in each additive.

The main topics to be covered in this webinar are –

• High level compositions of plastics
• Resin
• Plasticizers
• Flame retardants
• Synergists
• Colourants (and their own additives)
• Fillers
• Anti-oxidants
• Restricted materials in each additive
• Common restricted materials in plastics over 0.1% w/w
• Common testing results

Webinar – EU SCIP Database Information Requirements

Information requirements of REACH SVHC Database

On 18 September 2019, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar on the new Substances of Concern in articles (products).  The webinar will cover in detail the new information requirement of the SCIP database.

Under the Waste Framework Directive, REACH Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) in articles (physical products) need to be submitted in 2021 into the EU SCIP database.  The database takes the requirements of Article 33 of the REACH Regulation and provides a mandatory platform for submission of the information.  Submission of REACH SVHC information into the SCIP database will be mandatory for all products sold in the EU that contain REACH SVHCs in components over 0.1% w/w.

The main topics to be covered in this webinar are –

• General requirements and background
• Submission requirements
• Product identification
• REACH SVHC identification
• Safe use instructions
• Timelines
• Mandatory information requirements
• Optional information requirements
• Conceptual model of the database
• Specific examples (example products)

What is it and how to comply

On 22 May 2019, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present the proposed REACH SVHC database of the European Chemical Agency (ECHA).  The webinar will cover the known data requirements, the scope, compatibility with current REACH SVHC declarations, and practical approaches to submit data.

The new EU Waste Directive (2018/851) includes a requirement for the ECHA to create a database for hazardous substances in materials and products.  At this point in time, the hazardous substances are limited to the EU REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) Regulation’s Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC).  According to the EU Waste Directive, SVHC information is required to be submitted into the database for each product by January 5, 2021.

Even though the final technical details are still in development, a prototype version is expected in 2019 with manufacturers and importers being able to enter their data in 2020.  This webinar will cover what is known to date and show practical solutions to complying with the requirements. 

The main topics to be covered in this webinar are –

• EU Waste Directive
• Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC)
• SVHC declarations
• Scope
• Data requirements
• Structure
• Complying in practice
• Example declarations

Deliverables for Restricted Materials for EU Medical Device Regulation

On 17 April 2019, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on example deliverables for review of CMRs and EDCs for the EU Medical Device Regulation.  The webinar will cover example outputs from review materials for category 1 CMRs or EDCs over 0.1% w/w that are invasive, or fluid or gas contacting.

Section 10.4.1 of the EU Medical Device Regulation (EU MDR) has requirements for identification of carcinogens, mutagens, and reproductive toxins (CMRs) and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) over 0.1% w/w in invasive, or fluid or gas contacting materials.  The exact output requirements of section 10.4.1 of the EU MDR are the subject of much debate.  There is no one set format, but companies need a solution that meets both the CE conformity assessment requirements of EU MDR and also the scrutiny of notified bodies.  This webinar will discuss effective approaches that meet the requirements of EU MDR, are practical to complete, and can be updated effectively based on notified body feedback.

The main topics to be covered in this webinar are – 

• Section 10.4.1 of EU MDR
• What are CMRs and EDCs?
• What are the CMRs and EDCs likely to be in medical devices?
• Relationship between EU MDR and REACH SVHC process
• Process for identification of CMRs and EDCs
• Deliverable outputs
• Alternate approaches
• Risk mitigation
• Managing new CMRs and EDCs
• List of likely new EDCs

Closing out compliance to phthalate restrictions

Now that 2019 is here, many companies are rushing to finalize their RoHS 3 compliance process in order to continue shipping to the EU after July 21, 2019. This webinar will focus succinctly on the practical options for completing RoHS 3 compliance for electronics before this important deadline.  The focus will be on practical and efficient conformity assessment that meets the standards of the EU.  Claigan has worked with many EU national authorities on RoHS compliance and/or enforcement actions – and has developed a very practical approach for an imperfect situation.  Particular focus will be placed on completing compliance and moving forward to other requirements. The change in conformity assessment standards for RoHS from EN 50581 to EN 63000 will also be discussed.

The main topics to be covered in this webinar are –

• What are orthophthalates, and why they are restricted
• High risk materials for phthalates
• Conformity assessment options
• EN 50581 vs EN 63000
• Risk mitigation
• Practical approaches
• Substitution options
• Enforcement

New EU and China RoHS Restrictions in 2018

On 4 April 2018, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on the new RoHS restrictions coming into effect in the EU and China in 2019.  This webinar will discuss, in practical terms – the new restrictions (EU RoHS and China RoHS), scope, compliance outputs, compliance methods, and enforcement.On March 15 2018, the first China RoHS catalog (“Announcement No. 15 of 2018 of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China”)  was published adding EU RoHS-like restrictions to eleven (11) categories of electronic products starting in March of 2019.  This is the first time that material restrictions have been added to China RoHS.  Since the original China RoHS in 2005, the legislation has allowed for future restrictions, but until 2019 – the requirements were only a hazardous substance table and label.In July 22 2019, EU RoHS (under Directive 2015/863/EU) will expand the number of covered restricted substances for the first time since its inception in 2002.  Four (4) low molecular weight phthalates (DEHP, BBP, DBP, and DIBP) are being adding to the substances restrictions.  Unlike the previous RoHS version, data for the new RoHS restrictions is not as readily available, and updated compliance strategies need to be employed.  This webinar will discuss the requirements, outputs, and compliance options for the new RoHS substances.The main topics to be covered in this webinar are –

• China RoHS Catalog
  • • • Scope and timeline
  • • • Restrictions and exemptions
  • • Compliance processes and options

• EU RoHS (Directive 2015/863/EU)
  • • • Scope and timeline
  • • • High risk materials
  • • • Data challenges
  • • • Conformity assessment
  • • Compliance options and strategies

Looking at Dodd-Frank and BeyondOn 31 January 2018, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on looking at due diligence in the mineral supply chain beyond Section 1502 of Dodd-Frank. Claigan is a leader in conflict minerals due diligence and has years of experience researching CSR incidents related to the mining and refining industries. In this webinar, Claigan will communicate a variety of CSR incidents in the mineral supply chain. While the emphasis will be on incidents related to gold, special attention will also be paid to other minerals and materials that have CSR related risks including cobalt and mica.Claigan will also unveil The Athena Project, a comprehensive program detailing CSR incidents covering over 20 minerals and materials. This webinar will discuss the foundation of the project and how it will aid clients in expanding their CSR programs beyond Section 1502 of Dodd-Frank and into new focus areas that plague the mineral supply chain such as child labor, corruption, environmental damage and pollution, and land rights issues. No company has infinite funding or time to research and analyze this data. Regardlesss of the minerals in your products, the countries from where they are sourced, or the types of CSR incidents that are of particular interest to your work, Claigan and The Athena Project have the knowledge and flexibility to provide you with a customized solution that will address your needs.Claigan’s webinar will focus on The Athena Project, as well as discuss current and specific CSR issues including:

How to manage diverse requirements in the real world

On 13 September 2017, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on achieving and maintaining restricted materials compliance.  This webinar will discuss how to manage compliance for the growing and changing restricted materials compliance requirements (such as RoHS, REACH SVHC, Prop 65, and POP) from a practical point of view.There are many opinions regarding how to achieve and maintain restricted materials compliance.  This webinar will explain how to actually do this in the real world.  The webinar will discuss the concept of core compliance information and applying it to newer and changing regulations and customer requirements.  The content of the webinar will focus on compliance outputs and how to achieve compliance in practice.  No company has infinite funding or time for compliance.  No company has all of their suppliers providing complete and up to date compliance information.  No company has every member of design and procurement up to speed on all of the applicable restricted materials requirements. Claigan’s webinar will focus on how to achieve and maintain compliance in the real world.

The main topics to be covered in this webinar are –

• Core compliance information

• Compliance outputs

• An effective plan for legacy products

• Compliance for new designs

• Integrating restricted materials compliance into standard business practices

• Managing risk

• Responding to customer inquiries and demands

On 28 June 2017, Claigan Environmental Inc.  will present a webinar on the new restricted materials requirements in the EU Medical Device Regulation (2017/745).  This webinar will discuss, in practical terms, the new restrictions, justification, and labelling requirements for certain restricted materials.The new EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) contains new requirements for category 1 carcinogens, mutagen, and reproductive toxins; endocrine disruptors, and allergens.  In this webinar, Claigan will describe in detail the new requirements and specific restricted materials that are commonly found in medical devices, as well as steps to managing compliance in a practical way.  The webinar will further explore practical approaches to compliance for restricted materials requirements for both legacy and new medical devices.

The main topics to be covered in this webinar are –

• EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) – Restricted Materials

• Scope and timeline

• Design and manufacturing

• Justification

• Labelling

• Information in the instructions

• High risk materials

• Practical approaches to compliance

• Legacy versus new designs

EU POP, IATA Lithium Battery, Prop 65, and REACH 67

On 18 May 2017, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on lesser known but very high risk restricted materials legislations.  This webinar will discuss, in practical terms, lesser known restricted materials legislations that are causing stop shipments, recalls, and lawsuits.Companies place a lot of compliance effort on RoHS and, to a lesser extent, REACH SVHC compliance.  However, companies are as much or more likely to suffer a business affecting incident from lesser known legislations such as the EU Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) Regulation, IATA lithium battery shipping restrictions, California Proposition 65, and/or REACH Article 67 (Restrictions).  This webinar will discuss these lesser known regulations, their requirements, principal risks, and related recalls and stop ship issues.

The main topics to be covered in this webinar are –

• EU Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) Regulation

• IATA lithium battery shipping

• California Proposition 65

• REACH Article 67

• Canadian Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations

• Substances

• Risks

• Enforcement examples

Being Practical 
On 22 March 2017, Claigan Environmental Inc. will host a webinar on how to comply with the 2018 REACH chemical registration requirements.  This webinar will discuss in practical terms the methods and options for REACH registration (and registration avoidance) for low volume substances (1 to 100 tonnes) for the May 31 2018 deadline.There is a lot of confusion in industry on what is required for REACH 2018 registration.  Many companies focus on dossier creation and testing while the bulk of the dossier registration is already completed. It is a matter of working with your supply chain to determine whether your substances are already covered or whether you have to buy a letter of access to register an existing dossier.  In particular, this webinar will discuss solutions for manufacturers and importers of mixtures.

The main topics to be covered in this webinar are –

• REACH registration requirements

• Two major paths for compliance including
  • • •   supplier coverage
  • •   letter of access / registration

• Flow charts and decisions

• Mother registrations

• Managing mixtures

• Managing suppliers

Building an RoHS Technical File to EN 50581:2012
On 22 February 2017, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on how to build an RoHS technical file.  This webinar will discuss in practical terms the method and options for creating a technical file to fulfill the conformity assessment requirements of RoHS Recast (2011/65/EU).There is a lot of confusion in the electronics industry on how to create an RoHS technical file.  The focus of this webinar will be on the practical solutions, in terms of both efficiency and cost, that will help with the construction of this document.  The webinar will also discuss enforcement for RoHS, proportionality, and the impact of the technical file.  Also discussed will be different approaches for consumer products, OEM products, and professional products.The main topics to be covered in this webinar are –

Lesser known but impacting restricted materials regulations   
On 14 December 2016, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on a number of legislations that are not as well known, but are likely to be business affecting.  This webinar will mainly cover a range of new restricted materials regulations (EU POP, Canada Prohibition, Australia Asbestos, and Brazil Environmental Conscious Design) that are causing product recalls, withdrawal from market, shipment stoppage, or are otherwise business affecting. A fundamental axiom of restricted materials compliance is ‘the regulations you are most likely to be non-compliant for are the ones that you did not know about’. Many companies focus their restricted materials compliance efforts on RoHS and REACH SVHC.  However, in practice, companies are just as likely to experience a product recall for EU POP Regulation or stop shipment for Australia Asbestos, as they are for RoHS or REACH SVHC.  This webinar will discuss the regulations, their requirements, and present examples of recent enforcement.Regulations to be discussed in this webinar:

New Prop 65 Requirements for 2018  
On 16 November 2016, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar the new California Proposition 65 product warning requirements for 2018.  This webinar will discuss in practical terms the new warning requirements and how to manage compliance.With an average of 150 violation notices per month, California Proposition 65 is most heavily prosecuted restricted material legislation in the world. Until the introduction of the  new legislation, violations could be avoided with a simple generic warning with the product.  To better enable consumers and professional users to safeguard themselves from chemical exposure, California has enacted new legislation with more specific warning requirements including the identification of the listed chemical causing the exposure.  This webinar will go into depth on the new requirements while providing a background on what types of products and materials are currently suffering prosecution.  Claigan evaluates and tests hundreds of products a year for Prop 65 and discusses specific risk products and materials both in consumer and professional spaces.The main topics to be covered in this webinar are –

Managing restricted materials compliance for new products.  
On 14 July 2016, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on how to manage restricted materials compliance for new products.  This webinar will discuss in practical terms how to manage restricted materials compliance for new products under development, and new materials or components to be added to current products.With the wide range and growing complexity of restricted materials legislation (RoHS 2, RoHS 3, China RoHS, REACH SVHC, POP, Proposition 65, Conflict Minerals, etc.), product compliance is becoming increasingly more complicated. As products are being designed for sale into the global instead of traditional markets, the complexity further increases. Furthermore, some of the requirements are restrictions while other are disclosure related. This webinar will discuss the approaches used by Claigan to manage global restricted materials compliance for new products.The main topics to be covered in this webinar are –

2015 CONFLICT MINERALS SEC REPORTBlunders, apathy, and awkward laundry 
On 30 June 2016, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on the common errors and gaps in the 2015 conflict minerals filings to the SEC. The quality of the reports for the 2015 filing period have significantly improved with regards to content but many still contain a startling number of blunders and errors, displaying a lack of due diligence by many issuers. The webinar will focus on the major errors in the conflict minerals reports for the 2015 reporting period.  Many of the errors display a lack of due diligence and/or ‘willful blindness’ by failing to acknowledge they are sourcing from refineries with strong historical links to armed groups in the DRC, US sanctioned entities, and entities that do not exist. In many cases, the issuers appear to have relied heavily on software outputs without performing their own rudimentary due diligence.  The webinar will explain specific issues in technical detail and the underlying causes.The 2015 reporting period saw a significant increase in companies undergoing IPSA audits, many of which demonstrated a tremendous effort to reduce sourcing from the armed groups in the DRC and surrounding regions.  However, the quality of disclosure differed greatly between auditing firms, which creates uncertainty with regards to the thoroughness and understanding of different auditors.The main topics covered in this webinar are –

NEW CHINA ROHS 2 FAQGovernment FAQ on Administrative Measure on the Control of Pollution Caused by Electrical and Electronic Products
Ottawa, 1 June 2016 – On 10 June 2016, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on the FAQ concerning China RoHS 2 by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. This webinar will explain the content of the newly released FAQ in practical terms.The webinar will focus on key questions of the fifty-six (56) questions answered in the FAQ.  The main goal is to provide the audience a solid grasp of how this impacts their products’ compliance and what needs to be completed by July 1 2016.The main topics covered in this webinar are –

Claigan’s process for REACH SVHC Declaration 
On 23 March 2016, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar on how Claigan evaluates products for REACH SVHC compliance.  This webinar will cover the requirements, process options, and preparation of declarations.The webinar content will focus primarily on the practical aspects of REACH SVHC compliance including both the technical and business options.  The evaluation and declaration aspect will apply to the definition of an article, as clarified by they ECJ in September 2015, and use techniques designed to meet the modern definition.  In addition, the webinar will discuss leveraging a REACH SVHC process for compliance to similar global requirements such as California Proposition 65, the Persistent Organic Pollutant Regulations, and RoHS Amendment 2015/863.The main topics to be covered in this webinar are –

Electrical and Electronic Products Restriction of Hazardous Substances Management Measures 
On 24 February 2016, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar on the new China RoHS regulation.  This webinar will explain the new China RoHS legislation, the related standards, and mandatory versus recommended elements.The webinar will focus primarily on the practical aspects of compliance while explaining the fundamentals of the legislation.  The main goal is to provide the audience a solid grasp of ‘what’ needs to be done and ‘why’ it needs to be done.The main topics covered in this webinar will be –

Example Regulatory Update on Restricted MaterialsOn 9 December 2015, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present an example of the webinar that is presented in Claigan’s environmental regulatory update service. This webinar will be an example of how Claigan provides monthly or quarterly updates to their clients on changes in regulation and enforcement concerning a wide range of topics such as RoHS, REACH, California Proposition 65, Conflict Minerals, China RoHS, WEEE, IATA, and similar emerging requirements.The content of the webinar will be identical in content to Claigan’s standard monthly web meeting with clients; the content of which is normally customized and presented interactively with individual subscribing customers to go over changes in regulatory requirements and how it affects their specific products. This webinar will not have the same customization or interactivity of the actual service, but will provide companies with an idea of how Claigan can support their companies on regulatory change.The webinar will be based on a recent version provided to actual customers in October of 2015. The main topics covered in October were:

FAQ on Conflict Minerals – 2nd EditionQuestions submitted by industry
On 28 October 2015, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar on frequently asked questions (FAQ) regarding conflict minerals compliance. This webinar will be exclusively based on questions submitted to Claigan by industry.Claigan’s initial all-FAQ based webinar from April was extremely well received and attendees requested a second webinar for later in 2015. The format of this webinar will consist exclusively of responses to industry-supplied questions regarding conflict minerals. As a first step, industry was invited to submit questions for inclusion in the webinar. These questions have since been collected, collated, and will form the basis of this webinar.Examples of submitted questions:

ECJ Ruling – REACH SVHC Definition of an ArticleOnce an Article, Always an Article
On 30 September 2015, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar addressing the ruling of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) concerning the definition of an article for REACH SVHCs. On 10 September 2015, the ECJ ruled that each of the articles incorporated as a component of a complex product is covered by the relevant duties to notify and provide information when they contain a substance of very high concern (SVHC) in a concentration above 0.1% of their mass. Therefore, the presence of REACH SVHCs in a component of a complex article needs to be communicated to the customer if it exceeds 0.1% w/w of the component.This webinar will focus on the technical ramifications of the ECJ ruling on product manufacturers, how to update current REACH information, and how to manage compliance for REACH SVHCs on an ongoing basis. The practical steps will include a discussion of incorporating the new compliance requirement of RoHS Commission Delegated Directive 2015/863 (phthalates) into the product compliance update.Beyond a technical explanation of the ruling, this webinar will focus primarily on how to comply in practice. In particular, there will be a discussion of which compliance steps need to be changed or adapted.The REACH SVHC topics covered in this webinar include:

How to Pass a Conflict Minerals AuditIncluding details on new US Court of Appeals Ruling
On 26 August 2015, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar on how to pass a conflict minerals independent private sector audit (IPSA), including discussion on the August ruling by the US Court of Appeals. In July, Claigan Environmental’s due diligence process for conflict minerals passed an independent private sector audit against Step 2 of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance. This webinar will cover Claigan’s experience, recommendations, and strategies.According to the upheld US Court of Appeals ruling, a company choosing to declare themselves, or a product line, DRC Conflict Free must undergo an independent private sector audit (IPSA) of the design of their due diligence process, and of the execution of that due diligence process as described in their conflict minerals report against the OECD for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. Companies are finding it difficult to determine exactly what they need to pass an audit, are spending too much effort on the wrong things, and are vulnerable to auditing firms that wish to run up the billable hours.Topics to be covered:

Review of 2015 Conflict Minerals ReportsErrors and surprises in 2015 SEC filings
On 18 June 2015, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar reviewing the errors and surprises in this year’s conflict minerals reports filed with the SEC. This webinar will discuss common errors, suprises, and other interesting findings, while also looking ahead to next year’s filings and opportunites for improvement. In particular, focus will be placed on avoiding unwanted media attention and passing a potential Independent Private Sector Audit (IPSA).The SEC’s Final Rule on conflict minerals is a very complex and verbose document. Industry is often struggling to understand the fine details of the requirements. The result being a large number of companies are not completing the minimum requirements of Section 1502 of Dodd-Frank and the OECD Due Diligence Guidance. In a number of cases, many companies are displaying the exact same errors in their SEC filings which strongly suggests a growing trend of errors committed by service providers.Topics to be covered:

RoHS Amendment on PhthalatesPractical approaches for complianceOn 3 June 2015, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar on the new RoHS amendment adding four phthalates to the list of restricted substances. This webinar will cover the specifics of the new amendment, the practical considerations, and how to effectively roll these new requirements into product compliance.On 20 April 2015, the Council of the European Union approved the text of two amendments to the RoHS Directive, adding four phthalates (DEHP, BBP, DBP and DIBP) to the homogenous materials restrictions of the RoHS Directive. These amendments are expected to be published in the Official Journal of the European Union in June of 2015, and will place new restrictions on phthalates in electrical and electronic equipment starting in July of 2019.Topics to be covered:

FAQ on Conflict MineralsAnswers to questions submitted by industry

On 15 April 2015, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar on frequently asked questions regarding conflict minerals compliance. This webinar will exclusively cover questions submitted by companies and industry stakeholders. Anyone having a question regarding conflict minerals compliance is invited to submit the question to webinar@claigan.com.The SEC’s final rules on conflict minerals is a very complex and wordy document. Industry is often struggling to understand the fine details of the requirements. The purpose of this webinar is to address common questions faced by industry. In an effort to be as practical and relevant as possible, Claigan is inviting industry to submit their most troublesome and controversial questions.Some typical types of questions include:

REACH SVHC Definition of an ArticleOpinion of ECJ Advocate General
On 25 March 2015, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar addressing the opinion of the Advocate General of European Court of Justice (ECJ) concerning the definition of an article for REACH SVHCs. On 12 February 2015, the Advocate General of the ECJ released a detailed opinion of the definition of an article in accordance with the REACH requirement for communication of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) above 0.1% w/w in articles. The concluding point of the opinion was that components of a finished product were also articles and any SVHCs in these components need to be communicated if above 0.1% w/w of the component, not just the overall finished product.The opinion of the Advocate General is not legally binding. However, it will likely have significant bearing on the final ruling by the ECJ, which will be binding on all EU Member States. This webinar will focus on the technical ramifications of a ruling in agreement with the opinion of the Advocate General on product manufacturers, how to cope with the uncertainty in the near term, and how to manage compliance for REACH SVHCs in the future if the ECJ supports the Advocate General’s position.Beyond a technical explanation of the opinion, this webinar will focus primarily on how to comply in practice. In particular, there will be a discussion of which compliance steps need to be changed or adapted.REACH SVHC topics covered in this webinar:

What should your conflict minerals report look like?SEC filing for the 2014 reporting period
On 3 March 2015, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar on recommended content for a conflict minerals report filed with the SEC by an issuer for the 2014 reporting period. There is tremendous confusion in industry regarding the required content of an issuer’s SEC conflict minerals report. This webinar will cover the required and recommended content of a conflict minerals report submission to the SEC.The SEC’s final rules regarding compliance with section 1502 of Dodd-Frank are long, fairly complicated, and often subject to frequent misinterpretation. The most common misinterpretation is that review of supplier CMRT forms constitutes due diligence. Due diligence and the content of a conflict minerals report is to focus on the smelters and refiners that are sourcing from the DRC or surrounding countries.This webinar will discuss the fundamental requirements, industry approaches, and recommended sections and content.Topics to be covered in this webinar:

Potential Future Restriction of AluminumRelationhip between Al³⁺ and Alzheimer’s Disease
On 11 February 2015, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar on the potential for future restrictions of aluminum in products. Since 2012, a number of papers have been published identifying the Al³⁺ion, a common soluble form of aluminum, to be a cause of Alzheimer’s disease. As part of a foward-looking strategy to identify materials for potential future restrictions, Claigan will be discussing the issues related to Al³⁺, applicability to products, and potential restrictions and restriction timelines.With governments basing their risk analysis on peer reviewed data and the seriousness of the related risk, there is an expectation that restrictions on aluminum uses in products will appear in the future and may appear with little to no warning – in particular for medical devices and consumer products.Topics to be covered in this webinar:

China RoHS and REACH SVHCNew China RoHS standard and new REACH SVHCs
On 14 January 2015, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a double webinar on changes in the China RoHS marking standard and the REACH SVHCs added in December 2014. In the second half of 2014, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) published an updated version of the standard for “Marking for the Control of Pollution caused by Electronic Information Products.” On 17 December 2014, the European Chemical Agency (ECHA), published six (6) new Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) plus an additional listing for one (1) substance. Half of the webinar will be devoted to each of these topics.The new China RoHS standard, SJ/T 11364-2014 (“Marking for the Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products”) includes an updated scope for China RoHS, and updated requirements for the hazardous substance table, marking, and product labeling. This webinar will discuss the new requirements, removed requirements, options, and updated scope, in practical terms.Most REACH SVHC updates include substances that have a very restricted scope and are not normally likely to be present over 0.1% w/w in an article, outside of very specific applications. The December 2014 update includes substances that have very broad applications and will be commonly found in standard plastics. This webinar will explain the relevant substances, their common uses and concentrations, and how to manage these substances based on risk-based assessment and selective testing.China RoHS topics covered in this webinar:

REACH SVHC topics covered in this webinar:

Conflict Minerals – OECD Due DiligenceA practical and tactical approach to compliance with the OECD Due Diligence Requirements
On 17 December 2014, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar on how to comply, in an effective manner, with the requirements of the OECD Due Diligence requirements. Issuers to the SEC who are sourcing tin, tantalum, tungsten, or gold (3TGs) from facilities sourcing from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its surrounding countries are required to perform due diligence to an internationally recognized standard for due diligence for conflict minerals. Since there is only one internationally recognized standard for due diligence for conflict minerals, companies need to comply with the requirements of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas (OECD Due Diligence guidance.)The document is fairly complicated and subject to interpretation. More importantly it is the primary area in which potential auditors will focus. To meet the complex requirements, a checklist format of requirements is effective in identifying each element that must then be supported clearly and effectively by internal documentation. In addition, compliance needs to be reflected in an accurate, but minimalist format in a conflict minerals report submitted to the SEC. If it is written in the conflict minerals report, but cannot be easily substantiated in practice, any potential audit will be exhaustive and dominated by corrective actions.This webinar will focus on compliance in practice. We will discuss a cheklist approach to OECD due diligence requirements with responses being substantiated for each item. Using the checklist as a basis, we will discuss how these items are reflected in a conflict minerals report.Topics covered in this webinar will focus on:

Conflict Minerals – Managing Customer ExpectationsHow to efficiently manage customer requirements and expectations for conflict minerals
On 6 November 2014, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on how to manage customer expectations for conflict minerals. Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act applies to issuers to the SEC, but a large portion of the work is conducted by their suppliers, as evidenced by the recent submissions to the SEC. Most suppliers in the electronics industry have received numerous conflict minerals requests, often in different formats with different requirements. This webinar focuses on how to handle these diverse requests in an efficient and effective manner.This webinar will review the principal requirements for suppliers, types of requests received, and how to respond in an accurate manner with as little customization as possible.Topics covered in this webinar will focus on:

Practical Approach to REACH SVHC DeclarationsSVHC compliance in the real world
On 10 September 2014, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on a practical approach to complying with REACH SVHC communication requirements. Article 33 of the REACH Regulation requires the seller of professional products to communicate to the customer at the time of sale the presence of any substance of very high concern (SVHC) in excess of 0.1% w/w in an article. With the list of SVHCs expanding every six months, companies are finding it very difficult to accurately and cost effectively maintain REACH SVHC declarations.This webinar focuses on how to create an SVHC declaration for a company’s products, how to maintain this declaration with additions to the SVHC list, and how to keep the process practical and cost effective. More and more REACH SVHC declarations are being produced that are either out of date or incorrect. Meanwhile, more and more customers are requesting REACH SVHC (or even more complex) data.Topics covered in this webinar will focus on:

How to conduct due diligence for conflict minerals with attention to new Executive Order on the DRC
On 23 July 2014, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on how to conduct due diligence for conflict minerals. One of the most fundamentally misunderstood parts of Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act, as evidenced by the recent submissions to the SEC, is how to conduct due diligence on the source and chain of custody of conflict minerals originating from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and surrounding regions. This webinar will explain the due diligence process in a systematic and effective manner. Included in the webinar will be discussion on the impact of the President’s new Executive Order on the DRC, signed on July 8th, 2014.This webinar will review the process for conducting due diligence with respect to Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act and the new Executive Order on the DRC. The process will be presented and explained through flow charts with reference to the related sections of the SEC final rules.

Topics covered in this webinar will focus on:

• Due diligence requirements under Section 1502

• Impact of new Executive Order on DRC

• Flow charts for RCOI and due diligence

• Methodology and strategies

• How to determine if directly or indirectly supporting armed groups

• Role of conflict free smelters

• Issues and resolution methods

• Recommendations

Summary of Conflict Minerals ReportsIssues and challenges observed in first wave of SEC filings
On 19 June 2014, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on the summarized content of the conflict minerals reports submitted to the SEC for the 2013 reporting period, including observed issues and challenges arising from the data. Companies under scope of Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act are required to submit a Conflict Minerals Report to the SEC as an exhibit to their specialized disclosure report (Form SD) if they are souricng conflict minerals from the DRC or surrounding region. These reports contained a variety of results including links to sourcing from the Democratic Republic of Congo and to North Korea.This webinar will describe and summarize the data submitted, due diligence processes described, gaps in data and processes, and impact on the conflict minerals work for the 2014 reporting period. In particular, the webinar will focus on the issues that resulted in companies receiving negative headlines, and commitments made by companies that will affect what suppliers are asked by their customers. One topic that will be investigated in some detail will be the reporting of North Korea as a supplier of gold.Topics covered in this webinar will focus on:

Practical approaches
On 4 June 2014, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on how to achieve and maintain RoHS compliance in the real world. This webinar will discuss practical approaches taken by companies to ensure compliance. The webinar will focus less on regulatory requirements and more on managing RoHS compliance in a corporate environment; including managing compliance and cost objectives, becoming compliant and maintaining compliance, and supplier error and risk mitigation.

Topics covered in this webinar will focus on:

• Achieving initial compliance

• Maintaining RoHS compliance

• RoHS compliance and new designs

• RoHS technical files

• Migration to lower cost suppliers

• Supplier error

• Discrepancies between bill of materials and actual product

• Managing contract manufacturers

• Getting buy-in from management

• Meeting both regulatory and cost objectives

• Risk mitigation programs

Writing a CMR exhibit for Disclosure to the SEC
On 17 April 2014, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on how to write a Conflict Minerals Report (CMR) for submission to the SEC. Companies under scope of Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Act are required to submit a Conflict Minerals Report to the SEC as an exhibit to their specialized disclosure report (Form SD) if they are sourcing conflict minerals from the DRC or surrounding region. Based on current Reasonable Country of Origin Inquiry (RCOI) data, virtually all affected companies with products containing circuit boards will be sourcing from the DRC or surrounding region, and will be required to submit a Conflict Minerals Report to the SEC. This webinar will explain the details and standard sections that make up a Conflict Minerals Report.This webinar will describe the process for identifying if a report is needed, the requirements under the SEC final rules and OECD Due Diligence Guidance, and the contents of the report itself. With reference to the SEC final rules and OECD Due Diligence Guidance, this webinar is focussed on the applicable requirements, and how to meet and describe those requirements in a Conflict Minerals Report.

Topics covered in this webinar will focus on:

• When a Conflict Minerals Report is needed

• Due diligence

• Describing an RCOI process

• Compliance with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance

• Required processes and procedures

• Description of products

• Rules for declaration of DRC Conflict Free, Not DRC Conflict Free, and DRC Conlict Undeterminable

• Description of facilities and mines

• Risk mitigation programs

• Areas of high risk for SEC non-compliance, subsequent enforcement and related publicity

Maintaining declarations for substances of very high concern
On 2 April 2014, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on how to create and maintain REACH SVHC declarations for products. Article 33 of the REACH Regulation requires the seller of professional products to communicate the presence of any substance of very high concern (SVHC) in excess of 0.1% w/w in an article to the customer at the time of sale. With the list of SVHCs expanding every six months, companies are finding it very difficult to accurately and cost effectively maintain REACH SVHC declarations.This webinar focuses on how to create an SVHC declaration for a company’s products, how to maintain this declaration with additions to the SVHC list, and how to keep the process practical and cost effective. More and more REACH SVHC declarations are being produced that are both out of date or incorrect. Meanwhile, more and more customers are requesting REACH SVHC (or even more complex) data.Topics covered in this webinar will focus on:

• What is an article?

• Disclosure requirements

• Creating an initial REACH SVHC Declaration

• High risk substances and materials

• Sources of error

• Updating a declaration to a new SVHC list

• Managing declarations and SVHC data

• Crossover with other regulations

• Managing customer requirements beyond REACH SVHCs

Non-compliance for RoHS
On 15 January 2014, Claigan Environmental Inc. will present a webinar on why products fail for RoHS compliance. Claigan conducts regular testing of products for RoHS compliance and has seen the majority of products fail when tested for RoHS compliance. These failing products were designed to be RoHS compliant and had supplier declarations of compliance, but still failed in the lab. The webinar will focus on the causes of product compliance failures, high risk materials, design errors, supplier errors, manufacturer errors, purchasing errors, and the weaknesses in supplier declarations.The material presented in this webinar will leverage data from hundreds of tested products and tens of thousands of measurements. The webinar will present an advanced technical discussion on RoHS compliance failures and is not intended to provide a general overview of RoHS recast.Topics covered in this webinar will focus on:

• Failure rates and general product types

• Components, materials, and processes causing RoHS failures

• Supplier error versus design error

• Processes at high risk for RoHS non-compliance

• Factory auditing

• Supplier declarations

• The RoHS technical file and risk mitigation

• Options and solutions