Lead laws

There's solid justification for removing lead from gasoline - not for removing it from solder.

Actually when disposed of in landfills - lead leaches into the groundwater.

Moon my lead level was also quite elevated. Over the course of the last

5-10 years they have been reduced to near normal. All I did was wear a fume mask when soldering, and washed my hands more frequently. They went steadily down with each test. I'll send you a VHS tape that shows how I did it.

message

a

Thanks for the offer of the tape.

I think I'd rather have the bottle of Scotch, since you apparently don't have ANYBODY ELSE to send it to. :>)

Geez everyone wants that scotch! (Here it is by the way)

I considered the proposed deal, and decided that I'd send Java a tapeof the bottle. Suitable for framing.

. I'll send you a VHS tape that shows how I did it.

Well, well, well, now just cause we have a few lightening thunder boomers that put out the electricity for a few days, seems that was lucky, now I know the VALUE of my video tape.

Just so you know, Moon, ole buddy, (milk jug of scotch!! HA!) you will be biting your tongue on monday, make sure you don't have a piece of overpriced lead in you hand when you do!! and jk, I Just finished a very nice film of complex mold construction for you, so you better not auction off ALL that scotch, save at least one, had no idea information was that valuable. Been threatening to go into consulting for years, but didn't think of conversion into bootlegging. Should have. Tape, suitable for framing? I think not!! I will look forward to my package(s).

Yeah. Likely story. You been fishing again. Admit it.

OK, then.

You mean you don't have it already? I sent mine several weeks ago, hoping to shame you into action.

Nice try.

Well...whaddya expect from someone who is desperate?

His ass isn't cooked yet, just a little tender :)

This makes sense. Acidity frees up more lead in water systems that contain lead solder. So more aggressive/acidic flux might be able to do the same when soldering? Would a water removable paste flux that didn't contain ammonium chloride or zinc chloride (this is what came with my lead free solder) be safer than traditional flux, or what is considered to be a less aggressive nonsmoking flux?

Makes alot of sense too. Inhaled lead, from dust or riding on flux fumes, has direct access to the bloodstream via the lungs. Deteriorating lead came would "give up" more lead than new intact came.

You done good. You sought several experts' advice and are exploring your options. You're learning where the risks lie and are taking steps to manage them. You don't have specific physiological symptoms and that is also good. You know you were at around 17 micrograms per deciliter 18 months ago. (The mean was 20.7 for pros and 11.6 for hobbyists and 11.3 for the hobbyists' families in one small study of stained glass workers.) You didn't maintain this elevated level for many years and that's good too. You sound very capable of weighing the advice you get and following through with a course of action that is best suited to your situation.

Actually, it was 16 taken on 12/5/2002. On 12/22 of that year, I tore my right rotator cuff and was not active in SG work until nearly labor day of

2003. So, from 9/03 to 5/04 it increased from16 to 54. Big jump in a short time, eh?

Please point me to that study? Do you suppose they did any pet serum levels? The dogs are always wandering around in the shop, maybe I gotta deal with them, too.

You

A friend who took a hazardous materials course said he was taught lead levels are lowered by taking extra vitamin C and calcium. I.e. that for adults (who are not forming bone and brain at the rate kids are), a bit of extra lead exposure, such as in soldering, is easily compensated for by a bit of nutrition.

He said the dangers are "red lead" (which is hotter than our soldering irons can get) and "white lead" (which is the powder on old came).

From these, too, the teacher said, adults can recover nicely if caught on time (before you show symptoms), and a lot of C and calcium should do the job; but protection is important when working with red lead or or white lead.

Since neither C nor calcium are harmful in (reasonable) high dosages, why not try some between doctor visits? Can't hurt, might help. Your doctor's monitoring will show if it's helping.

clip

'red lead' is reddish lead oxide that has historically been used for paint pigments and a putty components.

red and white lead are driers. Both have been used in glazing putty. That is why taking apart old windows requires dust masks or underwater disassembly.

I knew that 50 lbs bag of whiting would come in handy some day :)

- Check my most up to date email address at:

banjo bridges, tabs, stained glass:

**may your moments of need be met by moments of compassion**

Sorry, but there are some big inaccuracies in this post.

I come from the UK electronics manufacturing area - we know that European legislation will demand lead-free electronics (including solder) in Europe summer 2006. Not many companies here are in lead-free production yet, but will be starting quite soon. Nearly everyone is evaluating lead-free solders right now; there is frantic activity. Penalties include 2 years jail, product bans and unlimited fines - see WEEE and RoSH legislation.

Japanese companies already have some significant lead-free production, including lead-free solders, mostly consumer products I believe. A recent presentation by Senju at the SMART Group 6th Annual Lead-Free Seminar showed the Japanese timetables; for example, Sony, Hitachi and Canon will be lead-free in all their factories (globally) by now. Matsushita (Panasonic), Fujitsu, and JVC already are, apparently. So there are certainly viable lead-free solders readily available.

The USA will inevitably follow, in my opinion. Not necessarily because of legislation (I know of no federal legislation tabled on lead-free electronics), but because of market pressures. The Japanese move to lead-free seems market driven because, whilst they have some recycling laws, they only suggests a lead-free timetable, not mandate one. Therefore the driver is getting your product on the shelves with a "lead-free" logo on it, letting the consumer believe you are more environmentally friendly.

And yes, we all pretty much know that banning lead from electronics assembly will do more environmental harm than good; the discussion is a long and involved one, well laid out elsewhere. I am not an expert, but some of the highlights I have come across:

1) There is no evidence of lead leaching out from electronic waste (like pcb assemblies) into the water table. Putting stuff into dumps and ground fill is not good, ultimately, but the fact that the solder contains lead is not relevant.

2) Substitute solder alloys contain silver - inert in itself, but scientists now suspect that lower doses of silver compounds over longer periods of time may have subtle but worrisome effects on fish and other aquatic organisms, affecting the reproductive system in sensitive species. Researchers are investigating the effects of chronic silver exposure on aquatic life.

3) Lead will be replaced by other metals which are far more environmentallydamaging to mine and extract than lead.

4) More energy (higher temperatures) will be used to make solder joints -> more pollution & global warming. Someone did the math on this.

It appears the better solution would not be to ban lead-bearing solders, but tighten up recycling and product take-back legislation.

Peter