Garmin 2008 Annual Report Download - page 40

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laws that were to go into effect by August 13, 2005 regulating the collection, recovery and recycling of waste from
certain electronic products. We modified the design of our products and our manufacturing processes in order to
comply with such laws and regulations.
The EU has also enacted the Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals (“REACH”)
regulation. REACH requires manufacturers and importers of articles to register the substances contained in the
articles if the substances are intended to be released under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use.
Because the substances contained in our products are not intended to be released under normal or reasonably
foreseeable conditions of use, we do not believe we or the importers of our products have an obligation under
REACH to register those substances. It is possible, however, that Garmin could participate in the REACH
regulations as necessary to support possible REACH registration requirements of the recyclers of our products.
REACH also imposes notification requirements on manufacturers and importers of articles if the articles contain
“substances of very high concern.” We have established a program in order to comply when and to the extent
necessary.
Portable Garmin products which use AC/DC adapters as an option for battery charging would require
submissions of energy-use profiles if and when the future implementing measures resulting from the EU EuP
(Energy Using Products) Directive define such products as being within their scope.
Garmin products may also become subject to further energy efficiency requirements if and when required
under U.S. Federal climate change legislation.
The People’s Republic of China has enacted legislation which is widely known as “China RoHS”. The first
phase of China RoHS took effect on March 1, 2007 and requires the disclosure and marking of certain substances,
including lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium in certain electronic products. We have established a
program in order to comply with the first phase of China RoHS.
Other states and countries have promulgated or proposed legislation similar to the RoHS Directive and/or
the WEEE Directive. The need for and cost of our compliance with such legislation cannot yet be determined but
the cost could be substantial.
Several states have enacted laws pertaining to the reduction of mercury in products and the labeling of
mercury-containing products, including the member states of the Interstate Mercury Education and Reduction
Clearinghouse (IMERC). Some of these laws, including those in Connecticut, New York, Vermont and Louisiana,
are applicable to certain of Garmin’s GPS products. We have established an ongoing compliance program to ensure
that we are fulfilling the notice and labeling requirements set forth in the relevant mercury legislation.
Garmin has implemented multiple Environmental Management System (“EMS”) policies in accordance
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001 standard for Environmental Health and Safety
Management. Garmin’s EMS policies set forth practices, standards, and procedures to ensure compliance with
applicable environmental laws and regulations at Garmin’s Kansas headquarters facility, Garmin’s European
headquarters facility, and Garmin’s Taiwan manufacturing facility.
Employees
As of December 31, 2008, Garmin had 8,919 full and part-time employees worldwide, of whom 2,896 were in the
United States, 76 were in Canada, 5,253 were in Taiwan, 644 were in Europe, and 50 were in other global locations.
Except for some of Garmin’s employees in Brazil, Iceland and Sweden, none of Garmin’s employees are
represented by a labor union and none of Garmin's North American or Taiwan employees are covered by a
collective bargaining agreement. Garmin considers its employee relations to be good.