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 ################################################################ TechNet E-Mail Forum provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8c ################################################################ To subscribe/unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the body: To subscribe: SUBSCRIBE TechNet <your full name> To unsubscribe: SIGNOFF TechNet ################################################################ Please visit IPC's web site (http://www.ipc.org) "On-Line Services" section for additional information. For technical support contact Hugo Scaramuzza at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.312 ################################################################