On December 4, 2001, CNN reported that Dutch customs authorities seized approximately 1.3 million Sony PlayStation game machines. Value of the items seized was US $162 million.
The reason for the seizure?
Cadmium was a component in some of the game cables. In fact, this seizure happened well before the European Union’s (EU) Restriction on the Use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive was even in draft form. (The Netherlands already had a national regulation banning cadmium in place by 1999). Ultimately, Sony recalled all of the affected items and modified them at a very high cost. Exactly how the PlayStations came to the attention of the Dutch customs inspectors is unknown.
This story sounded a cautionary note. RoHS goes into effect on July 1, 2006, and this scenario may be repeated throughout the EU for unwitting exporters and manufacturers.
