2026 Edition China RoHS Rollout | Has Your Lab Stocked the 10 Categories of Restricted Substance Reference Standards?
On June 3, 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology held a publicity and interpretation meeting in Beijing on the 2026 edition of China RoHS Compliance Management Catalogue for the Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products and the List of Applications Exempted from Restricted Substances.
Unlike previous policy publicity, this meeting explicitly set a new goal: to drive China RoHS from "knowing the requirements" to "implementing them in place," and from "passive compliance" to "proactive improvement."
This means that, from the regulatory end to the testing end, the tolerance for errors is narrowing.
What does China RoHS control?
China RoHS (based on the GB/T 26572 standard system) implements limit control on the following hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products:
Note: the four phthalates (DEHP, DBP, BBP, DIBP) were formally incorporated into China RoHS control on January 1, 2026, through Amendment No. 1 to GB/T 26572-2011, all with limits of ≤0.1 wt%, raising the controlled substances under China RoHS from the original 6 to 10.
Test Methods and Reference Standard Needs
RoHS compliance testing is generally carried out in two steps:
① Screening stage (XRF)
Rapid scanning by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, in accordance with GB/T 39560.301. The calibration of screening equipment and method validation must use certified reference materials (CRMs) to establish the benchmark.
② Confirmation stage (wet chemistry / instrumental analysis)
What corresponding reference standards can CATO provide?
CATO holds CNAS RM0030 + ANAB AR-2832 dual ISO 17034 accreditations, has a complete metrological traceability chain, complies with ISO 17034 requirements, and covers the full range of RoHS testing needs (for details, please visit the official website: www.cato-chem.com):
Heavy Metal Reference Standards
Lead standard solution
Mercury standard solution
Cadmium standard solution
Chromium(VI) standard solution
Multi-element mixed reference standards (Pb/Cd/Hg/Cr mixed standard, suitable for rapid screening calibration)
Brominated Flame Retardant Reference Standards
Decabromodiphenyl ether BDE-209
PBDE mixed reference standard (containing major congeners such as BDE-47/-99/-100/-153/-154/-209)
Polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) series reference standards
Phthalate Reference Standards
DEHP (di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate)
DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate)
BBP (butyl benzyl phthalate)
DIBP (diisobutyl phthalate)
Mixed reference standard of the four phthalates
To obtain the RoHS restricted substance testing reference standard catalog, COA samples, or customized multi-element mixed standard solutions, please contact the CATO technical support team.
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