http://www.sigcon.com/Pubs/news/10_01.htm

"Rollback the Lead-Free Initiative

I'm no expert in manufacturing technology, but I can smell trouble coming a mile away. I believe that our industry, having jumped onto the lead-free bandwagon, is headed towards a train wreck of immense proportions. Please tell your management."

Being critical should also apply to being critical towards articles that are being critical.

Going lead-free is an important topic, lead is a toxic and problematic substance to use in consumer products. Naturally whilst there are initial problems in finding replacement sources in all cases, imho it's rather silly to say that then the best option would be to not try to go lead-free at all. Selecting between the vast array of health effects caused by lead exposure or "whiskers" should be easy.

It's a bit like the use of hydrogenated fats in junk food which leads to the creation of trans fats which are extremely harmful to health - so harmful that Denmark has virtually outlawed the use of hydrogenated/trans fats in foodstuffs, and other European countries will soon follow. Food manufacturers have plenty of altenative choices which taste the same without the harmful health side-effects, yet they continue to use hydrogenated fats because they're cheap and extend the shelf life of products, not because they care about the health of consumers.

Same goes for consumer electronics manufacturers - find and use alternatives to lead (and other harmful toxic substances) and stop harming the environment. Unfortunately it takes legislation in order to stop consumer electronics companies from taking the easy option.

RoHS is not just about lead, but a whole host of other nasty and toxic metals and chemicals. The manufacturers are belly aching - too bad, deal with it, find a solution.

The EU have, for once, got this right. Perhaps when the use of hydrogenated fats is outlawed across Europe which may impact the way American food is manufactured, Americans such as Mr Burke will thank Europe for saving them from a coronary instead of complaining about the inconvenience of premature death? Nah, doubt it!

asbestos, all over again... each time the big money predicts doom and each time civilization survives...

Inertia, apathy and greed seem to go hand in hand.

EDIT: I use 95% tin + 5% lead solder and other than the higher melting point have no problems. It may be a reasonable compromise for many applications.

Bzzt. No. Lead is not significantly toxic. In this case what 'everybody knows' is wrong.

Well, it does depend on its kinetic energy...

Erm... what evidence do you have that backs up this theory that lead is not significantly toxic? Would you be prepared to expose yourself to high levels of lead for only a few days? Because thats all it takes before symptoms of lead poisoining become apparent, such as slowed mental growth in children.

Yeah, cause and effect on this one is very well established...

My sources on this are personal discussions with professors at my university. Lead is an inert substance of very low toxicity.

Lead-containing compounds such as found in older paints can be significantly toxic. By analogy many molecules containing carbon are highly toxic, yet carbon itself is not.