APC 2013 Annual Report Download - page 78

2SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC’S COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE
As part of the development of new Schneider Electric offerings, specify the information to be provided to customers about the
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Green Premium is an integral part of the creation and development presence and level of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC)
process for Schneider Electric’s offers as a critical deliverable for in Schneider Electric products;
marketing product offers. perform the substitutions of SVHC which are listed in Annex XIV
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(Substances under Authorization for commercialization); even if
Substance Management
those substances could be used in our products, our EcoDesign
policy declares them as substances to substitute;
Schneider Electric is subject in particular to European
notify the quantities of SVHC put on the EU market when they
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environmental regulations, with particular emphasis on the use of
are over 1 ton per year and per EU State;
toxic substances.
adapt the Safety Data Sheet management process to REACH
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REACH regulation requires traceability of dangerous substances requirements.
and RoHS directive requires elimination of six substances: lead,
mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated In2013, REACH program continued to take into consideration the
biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). updates to the list of Substances of Very High Concern published
by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). At the end of
Schneider Electric has implemented RoHS and REACH programs November2013, the communication of the presence and content
by applying these European regulations. of these substances included 144 hazardous substances.
RoHS program, started in2006, aims to eliminate the six CRESCENDO project, initiated in2011, which aims to integrate
substances from all products. By deciding to eliminate these substance management within our information systems, was
substances from all its products, whether or not affected by the finalized in2012 and implemented in2013. The automation of
directive or sold on the European market or worldwide, Schneider REACH and RoHS reports enables Schneider Electric to continue
Electric has exceeded the directive’s requirements. to provide SVHC information to its customers despite the growing
During 2011, the European Commission has published a new of the SVHC list every 6 months. The CRESCENDO project
RoHS Directive n°2011/65/EU so called RoHS2. Beginning of accelerates the dissemination of information to our customers
2013, this Directive repealed the previous one. while anticipating the impact of obsolescence on our offerings.
Immediately after the publication of this new RoHS2 Directive in
Environmental information
July2011 and without waiting the transposition by the EU States,
Schneider Electric decided to adapt its RoHS policy worldwide as The Green Premium eco-mark guarantees customers the
it did for RoHS1. The main evolutions concern the scope toward availability of environmental information relating to Schneider
an “open” scope even though there are several exclusions, the Electric product offers such as the Product Environmental Profile
technological exemptions with expiry dates (presence of banned (PEP) or the End-of-Life Instruction (EoLI).
substance above the threshold tolerated) and the CE mark since As an integral part of the eco-design approach, the PEP program
the RoHS2 Directive is now covered by the EU New Legislation provides customers with the environmental impact of products
Framework. In 2013 Schneider Electric has performed many during their life cycle according to the ISO14040 standard. This
studies with its suppliers to define substance substitution solutions program applies to all offers developed by Schneider Electric.
removing the exemptions used until now.
There is an independent certification by the PEP ecopassport
Efforts to bring products into compliance continued in2013, association, based on ISO14025, and providing a second level of
particularly for the new entities having recently joined Schneider checks and verification.
Electric. For specific offers that have little to do with the scope of
RoHS directive, such as the medium voltage equipment of The EoLI program integrates the idea of recycling into the design
ex-Areva Distribution activities, RoHS compliance will be continued of products in order to promote recovery of end-of-life materials.
during the years to come. Any new offer is developed in Schneider Electric has developed a design rules guide in order to
compliance with the RoHS directive. optimize end-of-life costs and the potential recycling rate of its
products.
Directives similar to RoHS European directive are now in force or
being discussed in several countries. Schneider Electric’s decision These practices result in the publication of information and
to generalize the application of RoHS to all its products worldwide recommendations to facilitate recycling of subsets or components
has helped anticipate developments in regulations all over the stated in the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)
world and Schneider Electric is able to offer products which European directive. Even though the vast majority of Schneider
comply with RoHS directives on all its markets (China, India, South Electric product offers do not fall under this directive, Schneider
Korea, Japan,etc.). Electric makes the End-Of-Life Instructions information sheets
available to its customers. This allows customers to identify and
REACH program, initiated in2008, aims to: locate the subsets or components so that they are able to recycle
ensure that substances used by Schneider Electric and its
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those using suitable processes that are environmentally friendly.
subsidiaries are registered and authorized for the applications in
question, in accordance with regulations;
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