Erik's recently posted news item says that Matsushita will be spending 5
billion yen (roughly $50 million) this year to remove lead from the solder
used in its consumer products. Presumably the other Japanese companies
listed in the article plan to spend similar amounts. As a US legislator is
reputed to have said, "A billion here, a billion there, eventually it begins
to add up to some real money." One of Matsushita's (Panasonic's) web pages
gives as the reason for this expenditure "it has been suggested in recent
years that, as a result of acid rain and other similar factors, lead may be
leaking from discarded items and garbage."
(<http://www.matsushita.co.jp/environment/en/file/e_data/ed_w_0010.html>).
If it were my money, I'd want more than a "suggestion". It isn't my money.
They and the other companies can spend it any way they want, of course. But
if they are actually interested in promoting human health, they could make a
much better use of their money supporting efforts to remove lead from
gasoline rather than lead from solder. Quoting from the Global Lead
Initiative posted on the Global Lead Network web site,
<http://www.globalleadnet.org/pdf/GlobalLeadInitiative.pdf>,
Leaded gasoline remains the most widespread source of environmental
contamination and human exposure to lead and its accelerated phase-out thus
constitutes the most important international lead poisoning prevention
priority. Moreover, worldwide vehicle miles are projected to rise rapidly by
2012, especially in the developing world. While leaded gasoline phase-out
would constitute a signal public health victory in itself, phase-out also
serves as the "gateway" to utilizing clean fuels and controlling other
harmful pollutants. Banning leaded gasoline enables the use of modern
technologies that increase energy efficiency, optimize fuel economy,
markedly reduce conventional urban air pollutants, and significantly reduce
emissions of atmospheric levels of many Greenhouse Gases.
However, no country or region can claim complete victory over lead poisoning
after the successful elimination of leaded gasoline. Other common sources of
lead in the environment include industrial point sources; hazardous waste
(particularly spent lead-acid batteries flowing from the developed to the
developing worlds); cottage industries; lead-based paints; food can solder;
ceramic glazes; drinking water systems; and cosmetics and folk remedies.
[Note: no reference to lead in electronics!] ... Governments have repeatedly
committed themselves in a variety of international and regional fora to
phase out leaded gasoline and address other sources of lead in the
environment. Progress has been made over the past decade. Approximately 50
countries have verifiably completed phase-out. However, almost 100 countries
still use leaded gasoline (some exclusively) and very few countries have
systematically identified and addressed other sources of lead in the
environment. (end quote)
The Global Lead Initiative is a part of the upcoming UN-sponsored World
Summit on Sustainable Development <http://www.johannesburgsummit.org/>, to
be held in Johannesburg in late August. Here's some information quoted from
the web site for that summit, to put the need into perspective.
(4 February 2002, New York) Speaking at the World Economic Forum meeting in
New York, Nitin Desai, Secretary-General of the upcoming World Summit on
Sustainable Development, today called on major corporations around the world
to dramatically increase their involvement in sustainable development
initiatives. Sustainable development is an approach to managing the world's
resources that integrates economic, social, and environmental
decision-making to improve the quality of life of people today while
preserving natural resources for future generations. ...
"Some environmentalists and industrialists still do not see that
environmental protection and sustainable economic growth are compatible
goals," said Nitin Desai. "Yet enlightened businesses are increasingly
recognizing that they will benefit from sustainable development, and are
seeking ways to integrate their profit-oriented 'bottom line' with broader
social and environmental considerations. The need now is to greatly expand
these endeavors, for the world's major conglomerates to fulfill their role
as global citizens, and for governments and advocates to work together with
business in achieving the goals of sustainable development."
The Johannesburg Summit will focus on accelerating global implementation of
Agenda 21, the blueprint for action on sustainable development. The basic
social, environmental and economic needs of the world's people are great.
Currently two billion people lack access to commercial energy, one fifth of
the world's population must survive on less than one dollar a day, and over
800 million people are undernourished. Although a major report released in
December by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan found progress in the
implementation of Agenda 21 since the Rio meeting to be poor in many
respects, there has been increasing corporate awareness of the need to ramp
up business involvement in sustainable development. A number of major
industry-wide institutions such as the International Chamber of Commerce and
the World Business Council on Sustainable Development, which counts many
major corporations among its members, have embraced the issue. "Business has
an immense impact upon the world's natural resources, and a unique influence
with its consumers and employees," noted Nitin Desai. "It is critical for
governments around the world to recognize the importance of the corporate
sector as a prime ally in efforts to implement and expand sustainable
development, and to engage in private-public partnerships wherever possible
to help accelerate this process." ..."The best-crafted plan is only as good
as its implementation, and we need significant improvement in that area,"
said Mr. Desai. "The Johannesburg Summit will ask participants to move
beyond talk to action, and will seek to establish clear, quantifiable
targets to guide our efforts to improve conditions for this and future
generations." To focus efforts in Johannesburg on achievable results,
Secretary-General's report on sustainable development that was released in
December, Implementing Agenda 21, offers a suggested ten-point plan of
action [that includes] Improve health through safe and affordable access to
freshwater, a reduction in lead in gasoline, and improved indoor air
quality. (end quote)
Lead out of solder or lead out of gasoline? How would you spend the money?

Gordon Davy
Baltimore, MD
[log in to unmask]
410-993-7399

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