HERNDON, VA – The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative today released a statement defining low-halogen (BFR/CFR/PVC-free) for electronics products. 
 
For PCBs and board laminates, iNEMI members define low halogen as containing no more than 1500 ppm of total halogens in the resin plus reinforcement matrix, and no more than 900 ppm (each) of bromine or chlorine.
 
For components, each plastic in the component should contain less than 1000 ppm of bromine, if the source is from brominated flame retardants, and less than 1000 ppm of chlorine, if the source is from chlorinated flame retardants, PVC or PVC copolymers.
 
Members supporting the statement include Cisco, Dell, Doosan, H-P, Intel, Lenovo, Nan Ya Plastics, Senju Comtek, Sun Microsystems and Tyco Electronics.
 
The statement comes following iNEMI’s April announcement of its HFR-Free Leadership Program, through which several of the consortium’s OEM and supply-chain members are working to assess the feasibility of a broad conversion to HFR-free PCB materials.
 
Three specific project teams are now working on the program, including:
 
· The HFR-Free PCB Materials Project, which plans to identify technology limitations involved in transitioning to HFR-free PCB materials.
· The HFR-Free Signal Integrity Project, which focuses on ensuring no electrical signal degradation in HFR-free PCB materials.
· The PVC Alternatives Project, which evaluates alternatives to PVC (including additives) in electronic cable and wire applications using a lifecycle assessment approach. 

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