Technical data sheets

Copper and Copper Alloys   |   Material Safety

Material Safety - Copper and Copper Alloys

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Safe use of Copper and its Alloys

Consideration of health and safety issues is important when customers are processing or using these materials, and when scrap items are returned for re-cycling.

As these materials are inert and non-reactive when employed correctly, potential health and safety impacts are extremely limited. In addition to long-term experience with them in a wide variety of applications, the materials have also been tested and reviewed for possible health effects

The Company only stocks and sells Coppr, Brass and Bronze grades that are standardised and proven to be safe for their recommended use. To ensure that all products sold by the company comply with the specified requirements, only suppliers whose production sites are certified in accordance with the ISO 9001 quality standard are used. In addition, the company’s sales and distribution service centres are also certified in accordance with this quality standard.

Attached is a full material safety datasheet from a leading European manufacturer.

Scope - RoHS & WEEE

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive, commonly referred to as WEEE.  This is aimed at electrical and electronic equipment manufacturers and has two main aims:

 

1. Manufacturers are required to take responsibility for recycling products at the end of their life and there are targets manufacturers must meet. 

2. To eliminate the use of environmentally sensitive substances from the manufacturing process of electrical and electronic equipment.  To do this, the WEEE directive refers to the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive.

 

The main objective of the R0HS directive is to eliminate the use of four metals and 2 flame retardants - For each of these substances a maximum concentration value of 0.1% by weight in electrical and electronic equipment is permissible:

 

  • Lead
  • Mercury
  • Cadmium
  • Hexavalent Chromium
  • Polybrominated Diphenyls
  • Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers

 

In addition, there is an extra clause covering the exceptions which includes Lead, when used as an alloying element where the maximum concentration values are:

• 0.35% by weight in Steels (including Stainless Steel)
• 0.40% by weight in Aluminium
• 4.00% by weight in Copper alloys

Statement

Our suppliers have confirmed that we do not have a problem in supplying material that fully conforms to the RoHS directive and as a Company we can thus make the following statement:  

 

We can confirm that the levels of:
Lead
Cadmium
Mercury
Hexavalent Chromium
Polybrominated Biphenyl (PBB)
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE)
are all below the maximum permissible levels stipulated in the European Directive 2002/95/EC (Restriction of Hazardous Substances), for all materials supplied by us.

The only exception to this is where a customer orders a grade of material where the British, European or International Standard covering that specification/grade requires the level of one or more of the substances to be in excess of the RoHS Directive.  In this case, the material will contain a value of each substance in line with the requirements of the standard.

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Last updated Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Disclaimer

This Data is indicative only and as such is not to be relied upon in place of the full specification. In particular, mechanical property requirements vary widely with temper, product and product dimensions. All information is based on our present knowledge and is given in good faith. No liability will be accepted by the Company in respect of any action taken by any third party in reliance thereon.

Please note that the 'Datasheet Update' date shown above is no guarantee of accuracy or whether the datasheet is up to date.

The information provided in this datasheet has been drawn from various recognised sources, including EN Standards, recognised industry references (printed & online) and manufacturers’ data. No guarantee is given that the information is from the latest issue of those sources or about the accuracy of those sources.

Material supplied by the Company may vary significantly from this data, but will conform to all relevant and applicable standards.

As the products detailed may be used for a wide variety of purposes and as the Company has no control over their use; the Company specifically excludes all conditions or warranties expressed or implied by statute or otherwise as to dimensions, properties and/or fitness for any particular purpose, whether expressed or implied.

Advice given by the Company to any third party is given for that party’s assistance only and without liability on the part of the Company. All transactions are subject to the Company’s current Conditions of Sale. The extent of the Company’s liabilities to any customer is clearly set out in those Conditions; a copy of which is available on request.