Gatan RoHS and WEEE Policy

Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive [Directive 2002/95/EC]

Directive 2002/95/EC—commonly known as the European Union (EU) Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS)—sets limits on the use of certain substances found in electrical and electronic equipment. The intent of this legislation is to contribute to the protection of human health and reduce the amount of hazardous materials that may enter landfill sites, or otherwise contaminate the environment during end-of-life recycling. The Directive took effect on July 1, 2006, and it refers to the following hazardous substances:

Lead (Pb)
Mercury (Hg)
Cadmium (Cd)
Hexavalent Chromium (Cr-VI)
Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB)
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE)

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive [Directive 2002/96/EC]

In 2003, the European Union (EU) set a directive requiring producers of electrical and electronic equipment to provide a means for users to properly dispose of electrical and electronic equipment. The WEEE Directive applies to all products placed on the controlled market after 13 August 2005.

This requirement aims to reduce the adverse environmental impact from electrical and electronic waste on European landfills through reuse, recycle and proper disposal of components and assemblies. An improved environment depends on users of electrical and electronic equipment to properly dispose of such equipment, as the materials used to build them do not break down like organic waste.

As a company firmly committed to environmentally responsible practices, Gatan established a process to help EU customers arrange for transportation of Gatan equipment to a qualified recycler. Gatan marks products eligible for such transportation and disposal within Europe with the “wheelie bin” label to indicates equipment cannot be disposed in the trash. Any Gatan, Inc. products sold within the European Union with a wheelie bin label may be returned to Gatan for proper disposal. To return a product, contact our customer service department to obtain an RMA number authorizing the return.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Compliance Information for Gatan Customers and Recyclers in Europe

Gatan is fully compliant with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive and implementing regulations in Europe. Under this directive, when customers buy new electrical and electronic equipment from Gatan they are entitled to:

Send old equipment for recycling on a one-for-one, like-for-like basis (this varies by country)
Send new equipment back for recycling when the product lifecycle has ended.

Instructions for customers wishing to obtain recycling services from Gatan are provided below:

Gatan Customers

Click here if you are a Gatan customer in Europe and want to recycle a Gatan product.

For inquiries and information on Gatan's RoHS and WEEE policies and environmental health and safety guidelines, please contact Gatan Customer Service at:

Gatan, Inc.

Attn: Customer Service

5794 W. Las Positas Blvd.

Pleasanton, CA 94588

Tel. +1 (925) 224-7360

Toll Free: +1 888-887-3377

Fax. +1 (925) 463-0204

Contact: service @gatan.com

Gatan appreciates your effort to help improve the environment and reduce waste.