SPA-3102 WARNING: "...contains chemicals that cause cancer, and birth defects..."

[sinko]

SPA-3102 User Guide, which can be found on the Linksys website, lists the following WARNING on one of the intro pages:
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WARNING: This product contains chemicals, including lead, known to the State of California to cause cancer, and birth defects or other reproductive harm. Wash hands after handling.
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Linksys.com - Partners/Service Provider Products/Telephones and Voice/SPA3102

Does anybody know what are the chemicals in SPA-3102 (which are in high enough concentrations to be believed to cause cancer, birth defects and harm) that prompted Cisco to publish this warning?


After doing brief google search on the topic, I found out that thiw WARNING is required by California Proposition 65, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, which was enacted in 1986. The Proposition was intended by its authors to protect California citizens and the State's drinking water sources from chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm, and to inform citizens about exposures to such chemicals.
Proposition 65

Also, I found out that wires and cables used in many products are the cause for concern since cancer causing checmicals (lead, etc.) can be found in the surface contact layer of covered wire and cable.
http://belden.com/pdfs/Quality/Prop65QA_NEMA.pdf

Are only wires and cables,which are supplied with SPA-3102 basis for issuing the WARNING? I doubt since the warning is in the SPA-3102 user guide, which can be sold with or without cables, but I am not certain.

I have also found out that lead is commonly used in the electronics industry, mainly due to using lead-solder, and I am guessing that this could be a part of the reason.

Nonetheless, I would appreciate if anyone who has more info can post here, knowing that there is a pregnant woman in my household.

[linksys-tstr]

Sinko, Thanks for your concern.
All products shipping to Europe (EU) now require a RoHS certification since July 1, 2006. This includes all packaging, cables, labels, the pcb, everything.
RoHS
So all new shipping products sold in the EU is required to be RoHS compliant.
California has some new certifications going in place in July 2007. So alot of effort is being done to meet these new certifications.

[sinko]

linksys-tstr,
thanks for your input on this topic.

Based on the content of this post and some other posts it appears to me that you may be working for Cisco/Linksys, in which case I would like to ask you to please expand on this topic.

I would also like to ask anybody else who may know something about this to please join in providing info.

Based on the info on the website that "linksys-tstr" linked, it appears that RoHS is just a "directive" not a law and that it includes restrictions on the use of lead (and other chemicals):
"The RoHS European_Union_directive took effect on July 1, 2006, but is not a law; it is simply a European_Union_directive. This directive restricts the use of six hazardous materials (INCLUDING LEAD; comment by sinko) in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment."

Does Cisco/Linksys follow the RoHS directive in the manufacture of SPA-3102?

If yes, why is there a need to post a WARNING about risk of cancer and birth defects, knowing that RoHS limits for 6 regulated chemicals (including lead) are well below limits that are set by California proposition 65, which means that if RoHS is followed (and if there is no concern about other than 6 RoHS cancer causing chemicals in SPA-3102), there would be no need to post a WARNING?

What are main checmicals in SPA-3102 that are found by Cisco/Linksys to be in dangerous concentrations (per propostion 65), which cause cancer and birth defects?

[eric]

Before you get too concerned, most electronic products sold in California have the Prop 65 warning.

Getting a specific list of chemicals from any vendor may be difficult.

[bogget]

This also covers any equipment with a soldred connection in it, prety much everything on the planet then !!!

We now as all manufactures have to place a sticker asking people to not dispose of in the houseold waste as well if it contains any of the aformentioned chemicals (lead etc...) .

Even the batteries from your cycle lamp are now classed as unsafe and if you read the RoHS it is asking you to return your waste to the manufacturers (yeh like that will happen) i think most people will just bin it as they always have.

Bogget