It has been reported that in Japan, (where some lead free consumer products are
already available) that consumers are paying up to 30% more for these products
and they can't make enough of them.

Peter Brooks


        -----Original Message-----
        From:   Paul Baber [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
        Sent:   Thursday, August 19, 1999 6:29 PM
        To:     [log in to unmask]
        Subject:        Re: [LF] Lead Usage in Electronics

        The reason industries wait until forced to make the changes is
        simple...economics.  R & D is expensive, especially when being used to
        replace a material which is fundamentally functioning as required, and
most
        likely cost efficient.

        At what point does the cost become too great?  Will consumers rush out
to
        buy the new lead free price increased products?  Or don't you appreciate
the
        lower prices on your VCR and home computers?  If a gold adhesive
material
        were employed, home appliances would be out of reach of most lower
income
        families.

        The government is quick to jump on a hot topic in hopes of collecting a
few
        stray votes.  Seldom are any of the agencies quick to assist in the
        development of replacement products.  When assistance is offered, it is
        always a referral to an industry who has the resources for R & D, not a
        governmental body.

        And is this going to be any more beneficial to the environment than the
        Montreal Protocol?  Natural events are much more to blame for
atmospheric
        pollution than industry, but who do you cite when a volcano blows, or
        lightning ignites another forest fire?  If I remember correctly,
requiring
        storm water permitting for industries was also catching the lower end of
the
        pollution problem.  Private lawns and farm lands were the greatest
source,
        but once again, economics comes into play.  Industry can pay, the farmer
        can't.

        I am unable to quote exact figures, but it is my understanding the
        electronics industry is only a tiny part of the user.

        Please don't misunderstand my response, I do believe the improvements we
        have seen would not have come about without industry being forced into
        change.  No one likes change, so resistance will always be the first
        response.

        My wish is the agencies or groups making these requirements are forced
to
        play an economically equal role in the development of the replacements.
Not
        just set a date and demand it be met.

        Now it's more of the king standing on high and saying it is so because I
say
        it is so.


        Paul B.
        NTCB

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with following text in the body:
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################################################################
IPCWorks -October 25-28 featuring an International Summit on Lead-Free Electronic
Assemblies.
Please visit IPC's Center for Lead-Free Electronics Assembly
(http://www.leadfree.org ) for additional information.
For technical support contact Gayatri Sardeshpande [log in to unmask] or 847-790-5365.
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