Andy Mackie asked:

>Why is everyone in the US getting so bent out of shape with what happens in
>Europe? The larger manufacturers already have facilties there, and the cost
>of shipping electronics across the Pond must be prohibitive? I must be
>missing something crucial here: so what is it?

We don't like to be forced to change, and the European initiatives
sometimes seem to be structured so as to become trade barriers for US
exporters.

The cost of shipment is not prohibitive, yet. Compliance issues (EU, EEC,
ISO, etc.) are historically a bigger concern.

What I find to be missing is the sensibility behind mandating a change in
something so basic as soldering alloys. I can only hope that the Europeans
will also find a way to replace lead in secondary batteries, or maybe a
more efficient starter kick pedal for the itty-bitty engines in their
vehicles.

Perhaps the Europeans have not forgiven the Romans for their toxic plumbing
problems a few centuries ago, but it could also be that Americans are not
as advanced in their environmental concerns.

It would nevertheless seem that Americans had best take note, as the
enlightenment regarding the dangers of lead is taking hold in Japan, based
on published reports that some major corporate citizens there have also
committed to elimination of lead from electronics products.

The value of those metallurgists among us seems to be on the increase, and
I will be taking notes at NEPCON regarding lead-free solders in the next
several years.


cheers,



Jerry Cupples
Interphase Corporation
Dallas, TX USA
http://www.iphase.com

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