Published draft criteria for green finance for electrical and electronic equipment exclude halogens in all components. The draft Commission decision (Delegated Regulation modifying 2020/852) published for public consultation to 3rd May 2023 specifies conditions under which concerned economic activities are considered to contribute substantially to sustainable use of water (Annex I), circular economy (Annex II), pollution prevention (Annex III) or biodiversity protection (Annex IV), and not to contribute to other environmental harm. In draft criteria Annex II 1.2 “Manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment” it is specified that plastic parts > 25g (other than cable housings) must not contain chlorinated polymers and that the complete E&E product must not contain detectable halogens, including not in cables, plastic parts, electrical components or consumables (TBBPA is however allowed as a reactive flame retardant in printed circuit boards only).
pinfa regrets that fire safety is not specified in the Taxonomy criteria also for buildings (Annex II 3.1 + 3.2), for plastic packaging (Annex II 1.1, for e.g. pallets and films for transport and construction sites) and for spare parts (Annex II 5.2). Fire has not only human and economic costs, but also important environmental consequences both local (smoke and soot, polluted extinction waters, etc.) and global (impacts of response, replacement of damaged buildings and contents, site remediation, etc.), see pinfa Newsletter n°141.
“Sustainable investment – EU environmental taxonomy”, EU public consultation to 3rd May 2023 and draft Delegated Regulation establishing further Technical Screening Criteria for the EU ‘Taxonomy’ Regulation 2020/852 HERE.
See also: European Commission taxonomy and sustainable finance web page HERE and EU Taxonomy Navigator online tool HERE.