The End-of-life Vehicle (ELV) Directive, 2000/53/EC of September 18, 2000, was enacted by the European Community to minimize the impact of End-of-Life vehicles on the environment. The Directive prohibits the use of lead, mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium effective July 1, 2003, subject only to certain exemptions listed in Annex II thereof (2002/525/EC - 27 June 2002).

The Directive also seeks to prevent waste from vehicles by ensuring reuse, recycling, and other appropriate recovery means and by limiting the use of certain hazardous substances. To achieve this goal the automotive OEM must know the composition of all parts and materials in the vehicle as well as the location in the vehicle of any parts and materials containing certain hazardous substances.

Based on this information the OEM generates a disassembly manual to be used by authorized facilities for the purpose of identifying recyclable and recoverable parts and appropriately process hazardous waste. It is likely that similar requirements from other parts of the world will be enacted, over and above the ELV Directive, and will require similar disclosure.

In response to the requirements of the ELV and other potentially forthcoming directives, automotive OEM's are mandating that suppliers report 100% of the material composition as well as recycled content for all parts and materials shipped to them and going into vehicles marketed globally. Accordingly, Tier One suppliers are responsible for knowing the breakdown of product supplied to them so the need for disclosure must spiral to the bottom of the supply chain.

As a result of the ELV Directive and associated direction from our automotive customers, Kimball Electronics Group requires all of its suppliers to disclose material and substance information and recycled content for all affected supplied components and materials using the standards established by the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) and supported by the Compliance Connect™ Excel workbook reporting tool developed by the AIAG. Kimball Electronics Group suppliers are directed to download and review the KEG ELV Materials & Substances Reporting Specifications which provide the information needed for suppliers to meet this reporting Directive using Compliance Connect™."

All Compliance Connect™ submittals are to be emailed to Kimball@MDSMap.com.