Hi Phil,

I cannot speak to China (they will likely find the most economical solution to be the best one) but there are no small number of quiet and thoughtful dissenters in Japan. I have met a good number of them. Unfortunately the culture keeps them silent in public (save to speak the corporate line when required to do so).

At a recent JISSO International committee meeting, there were a number of presentations on lead-free. Most seemed (at least to me) to be coping strategies in the face of the myriad of acknowledged problems associated with lead-free.

One interesting thing that came out was that, in Japan there are presently proposals for developing a total recycling plan for electronics. This would obviate the need for lead-free because the loop would be closed and it would be easier to recycle binary alloys than ternary or quaternary alloys. I pointed this out in the meeting and could not get an argument (just silent nodding of heads).

I suspect that many in Japan are, beneath the surface, looking for a way out of this dilemma, even though it appears that almost every electronics company in Japan has a roadmap for lead-free products.

One thing that the committee did agree to do was to try and create an environmental certification program concept as an alternative to relying on corporate marketing departments to tell the consumer what is "green".

This is likely to be a check list of sorts, ala "Consumer Reports" or "Good Housekeeping", where the product is rated in a number of areas including (in these cases): the overall toxicity (yes, we all know that most of the alternative solders still have toxic elements in them and yes, no one has yet proposed that we eliminate copper or nickel or tin or any of the other common metals that have toxic or carcinogenic salts just like those whose elimination is sought), the energy conservation, if it has been designed for recycling, etc.

Hopefully, his would serve as credible evidence of a company's commitment to the concept of product stewardship (as opposed to exploiting their marketing acumen).  

Germany's Blue Angel has been suggested as one model. The idea is to get the consumer to see "the big picture" and not get lost in marketing minutia, where we are presently trapped. (If anyone out there has ideas to share in this matter, they would be most welcome.)

Finally, I can understand how one might be pessimistic but there are small but growing signs that rational thought and right action are actually taking place.

I have found some good inspiration in many matters of daily life while reading some the wisdom Ghandi left behind.  It was he who was reported to have said:

"Any small movement in the right direction is to be construed as a monumental success"

                     and

"To lose patience is to lose the battle"

Very best!
Joe