EU-Ban on Cadmium in Brazing Alloys


From 10th December 2011, the use and marketing of brazing alloys (brazing fillers) with cadmium (Cd) contents greater than 0.01 % by weight in the EU will no longer be permitted. For you, this means that any Cd-containing brazing alloys you are currently using or still have in stock, e.g. BrazeTec 4003, 3003, 2002 etc., may no longer be used in your respective brazing processes. Furthermore, the production of such Cd-containing brazing alloys is no longer allowed in the EU from that time onwards.

In this newsletter, SAXONIA BrazeTec would like to inform you about the facts and circumstances and at the same time make you aware that we will discontinue the production of Cd-containing brazing alloys in the EU in the coming months.

Starting on 10th December, users are forbidden from storing and using these brazing alloys. As a consequence, conversion to Cd-free brazing alloys should be made as soon as possible. To assist you some examples of Cd-free brazing alloys are listed in the charts below. You may of course also contact us personally, and we will support you with the conversion to Cd-free brazing alloys and will offer appropriate disposal services for any remaining material, where necessary.


Recommended Cd-free alternatives with similar working temperature:


Cd-containing brazing alloys

Cd-free alternatives with
similar working temperature

Description

Ag content
[weight-%]

Work
temp.
[°C]
Description

Ag content
[weight-%]

Work
temp.
[°C]

BrazeTec 2002

20

750

BrazeTec 2576

25

740

BrazeTec 2201

22

710

BrazeTec 3476

34

710

BrazeTec 2575

25

710

BrazeTec 3476

34

710

BrazeTec 3003

30

680

BrazeTec 4076

40

690

BrazeTec 3464

34

640

BrazeTec 5600

56

650

BrazeTec 4003

40

610

BrazeTec 5600

56

650

BrazeTec 4505

45

620

BrazeTec 5600

56

650

BrazeTec 4509

45

620

BrazeTec 5600

56

650

BrazeTec 5009

50

660

BrazeTec 4900

49

690


Recommended Cd-free alternatives with similar sliver content:


Cd-containing brazing alloys

Cd-free alternatives with
similar silver content

Description

Ag content
[weight-%]

Work
temp.
[°C]

Description

Ag content
[weight-%]

Work
temp.
[°C]

BrazeTec 2002

20

750

BrazeTec 2009

20

810

BrazeTec 2201

22

710

BrazeTec 2009

20

810

BrazeTec 2575

25

710

BrazeTec 2500

25

780

BrazeTec 3003

30

680

BrazeTec 3076

30

740

BrazeTec 3464

34

640

BrazeTec 3476

34

710

BrazeTec 4003

40

610

BrazeTec 4076

40

690

BrazeTec 4505

45

620

BrazeTec 4576

45

670

BrazeTec 4509

45

620

BrazeTec 4576

45

670

BrazeTec 5009

50

660

BrazeTec 4900

49

690


The following paragraphs refer to the documents published by the European Commission as well as their wording, which motivated us to compile the above synopsis.

The European Commission on 20th May 2011 published the directive (EU) No 494/2011 amending Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards Annex XVII (Cadmium)

In the annex to directive (EU) No 494/2011, reference is made to annex XVII of directive (EC) No 1907/2006, in which item 23 (on page 414 under the link stated below) goes into detail on cadmium and cadmium compounds. The new sections 8 and 9 of item 23 govern the use of cadmium in brazing alloys and have the following wording:

8. Shall not be used in brazing fillers in concentration equal to or greater than 0.01 % by weight. Brazing fillers shall not be placed on the market if the concentration of cadmium (expressed as Cd metal) is equal to or greater than 0.01 % by weight. For the purpose of this paragraph brazing shall mean a joining technique using alloys and undertaken at temperatures above 450 °C.
9. By way of derogation, paragraph 8 shall not apply to brazing fillers used in defence and aerospace applications and to brazing fillers used for safety reasons.

Use in regulation (EC) 1907/2006 chapter 2 article 3 under item 24 (page 58 in link stated below) is defined as follows:
"Use: means any processing, formulation, consumption, storage, keeping, treatment, filling into containers, transfer from one container to another, mixing, production of an article or any other utilisation."

Directive (EU) No 494/2011 will come into effect throughout the EU on 10th December 2011. The date initially stated (10th January 2012) has subsequently been brought forward (see link "Correction").

Other links:

Comission Regulation (EU) No 494/2011

Corrigendum to Commission Regulation (EU) No 494/2011 from 24.05.2011

Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006