The fifteenth edition of SS-00259 for general use was released on the 1st of March the new edition will come into force on the 1st of April. All the parts, materials, and other articles that are procured by the Sony group, or by third parties need to satisfy the criteria specified in this standard.
Main Changes of the New Standard
Compared with 14th edition the main changes are as follows:
1. Two categories of new substances have been added to the list of “Environment-related Substances to be Controlled”, including:
2. The level of some hazardous substances has been revised, such as:
Phthalates regulated applications classified into level 3 has been changed to level 1.
Cobalt dichloride has been added becoming a level 3 requirement. Cobalt dichloride is used in addition to the Moisture indicator used for a desiccant agent (silica gel, etc.) and for temperature control the threshold level is 0.1 wt% (1000 ppm) of article.
Formaldehyde has been added as a level 3 requirement. For Textiles, the threshold level is 0.0075 wt% (75 ppm) of textile material.
3. The definition of some terms is increased, such as:
Material: means substance or mixture within a product or product part.
Part: means an article to be manufactured until it turns into an end product (the final article which is the outcome of assembling, processing or manufacturing chemical products and/or parts).
Article: means an item of specific shape, appearance or design created during manufacture which substantially determines functions in final use rather than functions provided by its chemical composition.
Product: means a part or an end product which is delivered to a customer as the outcome of the business activities of the organization.
CTI Suggestion
The management regulation for the environment-related substances (SS- 00259) of Sony group is generally updated once a year. Each update will adjust the hazardous substances list according to the latest international laws and regulations. Therefore enterprises are recommended to be aware of the latest requirements of SS- 00259 to ensure that products comply with Sony’s requirements.