Jan -
Both Be and BeO pose health risks. While I can't point to anything to support the claim, BeCu will probably become a part of the product take back/recycling. I did text searches of the WEEE and the RoHS Directives and found no mention of Be in any form. Be and its compounds are looked at under the various voluntary ecological programs. Many of my eco links are dead, but you can refer to http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/beryllium/ for the US position. Regards, Peter L. Tarver, PE Product Safety Manager Sanmina-SCI Homologation Services San Jose, CA [email protected] > From: Jan Vercammen > Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2003 11:04 PM > > Hello EMC/PSTC-list, > > > I have a question concerning Berylium Copper > (BeCu). Even though this is > not a direct > EMC oriented question, it is or could be, > indirectly, a serious problem in > the EMC shielding of our > products. > > I have been asked if BeCu can still be used in > Europe and the USA (and the > rest-of-the world) as > the material for shielding gaskets and fingers. > > The main issue here is that Berylium (probably in > combination) is > classified as an carcinogen and > it is also know to cause lung diseases (e.g. CDB > or chronic Berylium > disease). Note that this is only the > case if small particles are inhaled into the > lungs. However, I have also > received conflicting information > that it is BeO (Berylium Oxide) which is or could > be the cultprit. BeO is > used as an electronic packaging material. > > Therefore I assume that the BeCu gaskets and > fingers are not an health > hazard when used as a > shielding part in our products, but are (or could > be) hazardeous during > manufacturing and recycling. > > I have been told on several occasions that BeCu > is not allowed any more, > but one can not provide > me with standards or legal texts to substantiate > the above statements. I > have also been told that > we need to change the BeCu shielding parts asap > to stainless steel parts. > However, personally > I do not feel convinced and was hoping that EMC > experts on the > EMC/PSTC-list could help me out with the > following questions: > > -1- is it correct that BeCu fingers/gaskets are > considered a hazardeous > substance and that they will > be abolished from electronic equipment? > -2- if question 1 is correct, what is then the > exact argument for not > using BeCu?? > -3- are there (world wide) legal > standards/regulations published that state > that BeCu (as a finished product) > cannot be used anymore and by which date??? > -4- what is your experience with the conversion > of BeCu to stailess steel > gaskets/fingers for non-dynamical > shielding applications (cost, problems, ...)??? > > > > Kind regards, > > Jan Vercammen > Agfa-Gevaert NV > Mortsel, Belgium This message is from the IEEE EMC Society Product Safety Technical Committee emc-pstc discussion list. Visit our web site at: http://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/emcs/pstc/ To cancel your subscription, send mail to: [email protected] with the single line: unsubscribe emc-pstc For help, send mail to the list administrators: Ron Pickard: [email protected] Dave Heald: [email protected] For policy questions, send mail to: Richard Nute: [email protected] Jim Bacher: [email protected] Archive is being moved, we will announce when it is back on-line. All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc
