Conflict Materials and REACH Compliance

Conflict Materials

In August 2012, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) published final rules under Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act requiring that public companies disclose on Form SD the country of origin of certain minerals used in the products they manufacture or contract to manufacture. The rules require companies to make a reasonable inquiry to determine whether certain minerals used in their products originate from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) or adjoining countries.

Georg Fischer Signet LLC, as a privately held corporation, is not subject to the Conflict Minerals reporting requirements; however, as a supplier to publicly-traded companies, we are committed to helping our customers comply with their reporting requirements.

We do not purchase directly, and do not procure knowingly any products containing Conflict Minerals from the DRC or adjoining countries.

Georg Fischer Signet LLC encourages and supports its suppliers in adopting policies and management systems with respect to Conflict Minerals and to drive those efforts throughout their supply chain to ensure that the specified minerals are being sourced only from mines and smelters outside the DRC or mines and smelters within the DRC which have been duly certified by an independent third party as “conflict free”.

Minerals covered by the SEC conflict minerals rules:

Conflict mineral

Derivative metal

Common uses

Conflict mineral

Derivative metal

Common uses

Cassiterite

Tin

Solder, tin plating, tin chemicals, metal alloys (brass, bronze, and pewter)

Columbite-tantalite

Tantalum

Electronic components, metal alloys

Gold

Gold

Jewelry, electronic components, and wiring

Wolframite

Tungsten

Metal alloys, electronic components

REACH Compliance

Notification to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is required when the quantity of any Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) contained within a product shipped into the EU exceeds 1 metric ton per year and the SVHC accounts for 0.1% or more of the total product weight.

Georg Fischer Signet LLC uses Polymerized Acrylamide Gel in pH sensors, models 272X, 273X, and 277X.  Unpolymerized Acrylamide is listed in the candidate list of SVHC. The pH sensors do not contain Acrylamide in sufficient volume to require notification to the ECHA.

The candidate list is available on the website of the ECHA:

http://echa.europa.eu/web/guest/candidate-list-table