All You Need to Know About SASO RoHS

16 Nov 2021

New requirements are coming for EEE sold in Saudi Arabia

With an eye toward fostering sustainability progress, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organisation (SASO) has introduced mandatory regulatory controls on Electrical Electronic Equipment (EEE) being placed onto the market in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This new technical regulation has been introduced under the mandatory regulatory program, "SASO Product Safety Program" (SPSP), which closely mirrors the EU's Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS) Directive.

SASO RoHS, the commonly used acronym for the regulation, restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in EEE and defines conformity assessment procedures for suppliers. The restricted substances include:

• Lead (Pb)
• Mercury (Hg)
• Hexavalent Chromium (Cr6+)
• Cadmium (Cd)
• Polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDE)
• Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB)

Categories of EEE that are covered by SASO RoHS are listed below. Enforcement date is set for 5 January, 2022. Be sure to check our Guidance Document or official SASO news for any updates to the enforcement dates.

• Small appliances
• Large appliances
• Telecom and IT equipment
• Lighting equipment
• Electrical and electronics tools and equipment
• Games, entertainment devices and sports equipment
• Monitoring and control tools

Excluded product categories include:

• All materials excluded from the application of Hazardous Material Limits include in Annex (1-A) of the SASO RoHS Technical Regulation
• Medical Equipment
• Military weapons and equipment
• Large-scale stationary industrial tools
• Large-scale fixed installations

Challenges for Manufacturers

As a result of the new SASO RoHS regulation, manufacturers, importers and agents of electrical or electronic products who import covered EEE and devices into the KSA will need to explore the use of more environmentally friendly materials while also navigating numerous new testing procedures to certify compliance. The changes will require more time and resources from all participants in the manufacturing process: R&D, engineering, product design and compliance, in order to source new materials, pursue new safety certifications, reassess manufacturing processes and re-test units.

Manufacturers, importers and agents are tasked with understanding the new SASO RoHS standards and procedures, learning how they apply to their products and determining whether their products do or do not comply. In order to prepare for and meet the compliance deadlines, a proactive approach is necessary to help ensure a smooth transition to the new SASO RoHS requirements.   

Accredited third-party safety and performance testing organizations like Intertek can help you navigate the challenges that come with the new SASO RoHS requirements to ensure your products are ready to be placed in the KSA market. Intertek is a SASO Notified Body with considerable expertise in EEE compliance for global markets. Our comprehensive approach comprises training and education, market access strategy, product evaluation and ultimately certification.

Our technical team has developed a guidance document – SASO Product Safety Program (SPSP): Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) – to help applicants and manufacturers to get a head start on compliance strategies. As a SASO Notified Body and a partner to EEE product manufacturers around the world, our experts can help you ensure your products are in compliance with the new SASO RoHS requirements, enabling market access to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.