Corporate Responsibility

Superior Sensor Technology is committed to protecting the environment by minimizing the amount of hazardous substances in our devices.

We strive to meet the highest quality standards in the industry by working closely with customers and suppliers to ensure our products and services comply with industry environmental and social responsibility standards, including compliance with EU RoHS, EU REACH, and Conflict Minerals.

EU RoHS

Restriction of Hazardous Substances

The goal of the RoHS directives is to reduce the content of harmful substances in materials and products. These usage reductions are aimed at making electronics manufacturing safer at every stage of the electronic device life cycle. RoHS 1 was adopted in February 2003, becoming effective on July 1, 2006. This directive identified and restricted the use of six hazardous substances, including Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, and 3 others, in electronic and electrical equipment. RoHS 2 was added in July 2011 and became effective on January 2, 2013. This second directive added four additional hazardous substances to the harmful list and focused on improving regulatory conditions and legal clarity from the original directive.

California Proposition 65

Restriction on Chemical Exposure Known to be Hazardous

Proposition 65, officially known as the California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, aims to protect California citizens from significant exposure to chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm. California Proposition 65 obligates businesses operating in California to provide clear and reasonable warnings before knowingly and intentionally exposing Californians to chemicals that are listed in Proposition 65 List.

EU REACH

Regulation of Very High Concern Chemicals

The goal of the European Union REACH (EC1907/2006) regulation is to improve the protection of human health and the environment through better and earlier identification of very high concern chemical substances. This regulation encompasses four distinct processes: registration, evaluation, authorization, and restriction of chemicals. REACH came into effect on June 1, 2007, with various phases defined over the next decade. It also established the European Chemicals Agency to manage the technical, scientific, and administrative aspects of REACH. Based on this regulation, the European Chemicals Agency must be notified of the presence of substances of very high concern (SVHC) in products when the total quantity used is more than one metric tonne (1000 Kg) per year and the SVHC is more than 0.1% of the mass of the object. The REACH regulation applies to all chemicals imported or produced in the EU.

Conflict Minerals – Business Ethics

The objective is to support improved human rights through the avoidance of sourcing specified minerals from conflict-affected, high-risk areas when those funds are then used for exploitation and human rights abuses. There are various initiatives around the globe to address this difficult issue, with all of them focusing on responsible supply chain management of four key minerals (Tin, Tungsten, Tantalum, and Gold) used to fund armed conflicts, leading to human rights abuses. In 2010, US Congress passed section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, requiring publicly traded companies to ensure that the raw materials they use to make their products are not tied to the conflict in Congo, by tracing and auditing their mineral supply chains. In the EU, a similar regulation comes into effect on January 1, 2021, drawing upon experts from the OECD to define “Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas.” We strongly support these efforts around the globe to avoid contributing to human rights abuses through our mineral sourcing practices.