Environmental design initiative reaches Congress

On May 14, legislation specifying the commitment of NEMA members to eliminate or limit hazardous substances in certain electrical products was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Environmental Design for Electrical Equipment Act of 2009 (EDEE Act) is sponsored by Representative Michael C. Burgess (R-TX), a physician who serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The EDEE Act H.R. 2420 establishes uniform federal standards on the use of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and two flame-retardants in certain electroindustry products, similar to those in place under the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous Substance (RoHS) Directive. The bill also is designed to establish a level playing field for domestically made and imported products, and to discourage inconsistent state laws and regulations that are a detriment to interstate and global commerce. For more information, visit www.nema.org/gov/env_conscious_design.