I wonder about this exemption and how effective it will be in the real world
since the exemption only applies to the particular end use of a system, and not
the components that go into that system.
Microprocessors are not exempt, only microprocessors that just happen to end up
in servers, etc. will be exempt. ASICS are not exempt, only ASICS that happen to
end up in servers, etc.
So the question then is "Will a manufacturer of microprocessors, ASICs,
whatever, make a leaded version of its product for its customers that buy them
for use in servers and a lead-free version for its other customers?" If I am a
manufacturer of servers and I want to use leaded components and solder on my
boards where do I go to get my components if all my suppliers have had to switch
to a lead free product because 90% of their market doesn't enjoy the exemption?
What happens if some of my suppliers go fully lead-free and others do not? Can I
mix and match such components on my boards?

It's kind of like banning the use of gasoline in all automobile engines but
exempting ambulances. Who is going to run a refinery just to produce gasoline
for ambulances and then what is the price per gallon if they do?

Am I missing something about this exemption?

Charles F. Dolci
Director, Environment, Health & Safety
Sun Microsystems


*MIME-Version: 1.0
*Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
*From: Harvey Miller <[log in to unmask]>
*Subject: Re: [LF] Recent amendments to European electronics-environmental
legislati on
*X-To: [log in to unmask]
*To: [log in to unmask]
*
*But Gordon, don't you agree that explicit exemption of "servers, netwotk,
*communications equipment, etc." is a breakthrough.  I don't think that
*politics permitted a complete reversal of lead-free at this stage.
*
*When you consider all the factors-- this new duplicate (at least ) track now
*being called for-- with all attendant costs, the enormous system reliability
*issues, the complete lack of proof that lead in landfills is a threat to
*human health or to life of any kind (with lots of proof to the contrary).
*
*I know that you are not persuaded that recycling is even necessary, but a
*vast recycling infrastructure for existing products-- will be built and it
*will have to recycle lead.  It will be a powerful political and economic
*argument for continuing to recycle lead and tin-lead solder.
*
*I believe that the glass is more than half full on this issue, that
*intelligent environmentalists will understand that banning lead in solder
*will harm the environment by greatly increasing waste (shortened product
*lives), increasing energy usage, introducing toxic metals that are much more
*bioavailable than lead.  I know intelligent environmentalists who have been
*persuaded.
*
*We have to keep up the fight, at the individual country level, to defeat this
*preposterous, misguided lead-free solder movement.  And we have to find a way
*to help our Japanese friends gracefully climb off their limb.
*
*Harvey Miller
*

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