As members of the global community, we at Littelfuse have always strived to understand the impact of what we do, and of what we create, on the world around us. Because of this, our concern for the environment has always been an integral and fundamental part of our business. We continually work to balance our business objectives with the need to protect and improve the local and global environment.
Environmental Management Practices
As part of a more concerted effort to reduce and eliminate any negative environmental impact of our operations, Littelfuse has devised comprehensive environmental management practices.
Through regular communication of objectives, action plans and achievements, all Littelfuse associates are kept informed of these practices. Each member of the Littelfuse family is fully committed to understanding and implementing the relevant aspects of our system as part of their day to day work.
Littelfuse is committed to minimizing the environmental impacts of its operations through various continual improvement programs. It is the practice of Littelfuse to:
- Comply with all applicable laws and regulations worldwide.
- Reduce and eliminate the use of hazardous materials in our products.
- Reduce the amount of raw materials used in operations and reuse, rather than dispose, whenever possible and promote recycling and use of recycled materials.
- Prevent pollution by reducing and eliminating emissions to the environment.
- Work closely with our customers and suppliers to minimize their overall impact on the environment.
- Communicate environmental issues with all Littelfuse associates through training programs and meetings.
- Monitor our environmental performance on a regular basis and communicate our progress to all interested parties.
Primary Areas of Concern
Littelfuse is focused on a variety of environmental issues. A key area of concern is the reduction or elimination of specific toxic materials in the manufacturing of our products. This includes raw materials and processed materials purchased from our suppliers. Currently, we are focusing on the reduction and elimination of:
- Lead
- Cadmium
- Specific forms of Chromium (Hexavalent Cr)
- Mercury
- Specific Brominated Flame retardants
All of these substances are included in a class of substances immediately or gradually being banned by regional or country laws and ordinances. Littelfuse is committed to ensuring that the use of these substances ultimately be eliminated from our products so that we can comply with related laws and regulations and reduce the negative impact of these substances on the ecosystem and thereby contribute to the preservation of the global environment. This includes the use of these substances in all products that are designed, manufactured, sold or distributed by Littelfuse.
RoHS Recast
In July 1, 2011, the RoHS recast was published in the Official Journal of the European Union, repealing the original RoHS.
As part of the changes enumerated in the RoHS recast, some exemptions in the use of lead may be removed starting July 22, 2016. To prepare for this change, Littelfuse is currently testing replacements for exempted materials in products that uses the following exemptions: 7(a) - lead in high melting temperature type solders (lead- based alloys containing 85 % by weight or more lead), 7(c-1) - electrical and electronic components containing lead in a glass or ceramic other than dielectric ceramic in capacitors such as piezoelectronic devices, or in a glass or ceramic matrix compound and 6(c) - copper alloy containing up to 4 % lead by weight. In the event that alternative materials cannot be identified and qualified as suitable replacements for materials currently using exemption 7(a) or 7(c)-I or 6(c), Littelfuse will, by January 1, 2015, prepare and submit an application for renewing exemptions as defined in Article 5 and Annex V of the RoHS Recast.
Littelfuse will also continue to work with industry associations and with its customers in monitoring changes to these specific regulatory requirements and is committed to complying with any changes that will be implemented in the future.
More Information
For product environmental compliance information, please visit our Product Environmental Information Page