Dear IPC Members:

I hope this newsletter finds you and yours doing well.

It’s been a busy week here at IPC. While the COVID-19 relief standoff continues in the U.S. Congress, IPC publicly called on Congress to enact a recovery bill with pro-industrial-base provisions. Elsewhere, we saw congressional action on defense authorization and spending bills which include several IPC-backed provisions.

This week also brings an update to the global environment, health & safety (EHS) outlook, including a new IPC blog on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and what potential regulations would mean for our industry. Your input is needed!
 
Meanwhile, did you know 78 percent of electronics industry companies struggle with a skills gap? IPC’s Electronics Workforce Training courses can help you close that gap. How? Check out this new IPC blog for more details.

As always, IPC’s coronavirus page provides current resources on worker safety and support, IPC virtual events, and IPC advocacy efforts.

All the best and stay safe,

Chris Mitchell
Vice President, Global Government Relations

TOP OF THE WEEK

IPC Calls for New COVID Recovery Bill with Pro-Industrial-Base Provisions: As this newsletter is prepared for delivery, the U.S. Congress is continuing to struggle to reach a deal on another COVID recovery bill, and IPC is calling on them to include provisions of importance to the electronics manufacturing industry. In a letter sent to the top four leaders in Congress, IPC urged Congress to support the following measures:

• Modified unemployment insurance benefit to continue essential support for laid-off workers, helping to maintain consumer demand while reducing disincentives to return to work;
• Common-sense liability protections shielding businesses that have taken “reasonable steps” to comply with government workplace safety guidelines;
• Paycheck Protection Program extension and the Safe and Healthy Workplace tax credit;
• Supplementary funding to sustain and rebuild the defense industrial base; and
• Aid to state and local governments to ensure essential services are maintained.

Additional defense funding is another source of disagreement, with Democrats saying the bill's provisions “prioritize buying weapons over aiding unemployed Americans during the pandemic,” according to reporting by Politico. More information about our industry’s role in the U.S. economy and its policy positions can be found in this recent report and in our Roadmap to Economic Recovery. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.  

Does Your Company Use PFAS to Make Electronics? Regulators in the United States and the European Union are eyeing chemicals in the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) class. In July, IPC completed a screening study to gain a better understanding of the evolving policies shaping the production and use of PFAS. IPC needs you to review the preliminary findings from our screening study to confirm whether we accurately captured the uses of PFAS in electronics products and processes. Please send your feedback to Kelly Scanlon by August 28. For more information, check out IPC’s new blog on PFAS regulation. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

DEFENSE

House Passes Defense Appropriations Measure: On July 31, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a six-bill appropriations package, which included the FY21 defense spending bill. The $1.3 trillion bill includes funding for lead-free electronics research and development that IPC has sought. Meanwhile, the Senate has yet to begin its appropriations process this year. Please let us know if you have any questions or would like more information. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

ICYMI: House and Senate Pass Pro-Electronics Measures in Defense Bills: The U.S. House and Senate recently passed separate versions of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), with both bills including provisions of significant interest to our industry:

• New requirements for bare and assembled PCBs and PCBAs used in sensitive defense systems to be purchased from trusted U.S. or allied sources;
• An IPC-backed measure requiring the Defense Department to analyze certain materials and technology sectors – including PCBs and other electronics components – for possible action to address sourcing and industrial capacity risks; and
• Funding and tax credits to strengthen domestic semiconductor production.

ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND SAFETY

Evolving Policies Reframe Discussion on Flame Retardants in Electronics: On July 24, IPC partnered with Chemical Watch to discuss the latest scientific and policy developments around flame retardants used in the electronics industry from a European and North American perspective. Topics covered included:

• Emerging legislation and policies regarding flame retardants, including the European Union’s Circular Economy Action Plan;
• Industry standards that shape definitions of flame retardants;
• Industry data and information needed for better decision-making; and
• New innovations and technologies that could affect the need for flame retardants in electronics.

For more information, check out this IPC blog item. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

Climate a Key Focus of Proposed Democratic Platform and Mayors’ Recovery Plan: Combating the climate crisis and pursuing environmental justice will be focal points of a Democratic administration, according to a new draft platform that largely aligns with Joe Biden’s climate and environmental plan. Meanwhile, a coalition of mayors from across the United States recently launched a recovery strategy that prioritizes an equitable and sustainable recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

How to Properly Disinfect Electronic Equipment Amid COVID-19: The International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) recently published a guide on how to mitigate the risk when disinfecting electronic equipment and assemblies. “Many commonly recommended disinfection substances and/or application methods could potentially cause failures in electronic equipment if the internal electronics were inadvertently exposed to them,” said iNEMI CEO Marc Benowitz. The next time you disinfect your workplace, we want you to do it safely! For more information, check out IPC’s recent blog here. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.
 
U.S. Chemical Data Reporting – Still Open! The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) submission period remains open through November 30. The CDR rule requires manufacturers and importers of certain chemical substances listed under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Substance Inventory to report data to the EPA every four years. There are several new reporting requirements you should be aware of, including changes related to byproducts, exemptions; and an improved process for reporting co-manufacturing. Let us know if you have any questions as your company goes through the reporting process. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

South Korea Seeks to Strengthen Chemical Directive: The South Korean Ministry of Environment announced a new proposal to expand restrictions on the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products, and add new restricted substances to their national chemical directive. The proposed legislation, based on the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances Use (RoHS) guidelines, aims to minimize potential risks of hazardous chemicals to public health and the environment. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

Interested in Chemical and Product Regulations in Asia? Please check out these new white papers from IPC on evolving chemicals regulations in China, Japan, and South Korea. These papers provide a detailed look at the history of the policies, recent regulatory updates, and the regulatory trends in the respective countries. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

TRADE AND SUPPLY CHAIN

Trump to Reimpose Aluminum Tariffs on Canada: On August 6, U.S. President Trump announced he will reimpose 10 percent tariffs on aluminum imported from Canada, just weeks after the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement went into effect. The decision came after the U.S. “failed to get Canada to impose quotas on its exports of the metal,” according to reporting from Politico. The U.S. Trade Representative's office said the tariffs will apply to raw, unalloyed aluminum and do not apply to downstream aluminum products. "In response to the American tariffs, Canada intends to swiftly impose dollar-for-dollar countermeasures," Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement. On August 7, Canada released its preliminary list of U.S. products that would be subject to retaliatory tariffs. The Canadian tariffs, which are limited to aluminum and aluminum products, will take effect on September 16. IPC Contact: Chris Mitchell.

UPCOMING EVENTS

COVID-19: Best Practices for Assessing Workplace Risk Webinar: Virtual event, September 9, 2020. This webinar aims to answer some of the most challenging questions employers and employees are facing regarding worker safety and support. IPC will share best practices for assessing workplace risk for COVID-19 and we will provide resources and tools that you can use to help you navigate the current science and policy happenings. IPC Contact: Kelly Scanlon.

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