[sdiy] Thoughts on RoHS

[Steve Lenham]

From: "Keith Winstanley" <keithw at cix.compulink.co.uk>

> as I cycled in to work today I spotted about 5 lead wheel balance
> weights on the roads; probably more lead that in all my modulars.
> What's this RoHS actually achieving apart from suppression on small
> scale industry?

No offence (and apologies that this has little to do with SDIY), but that is 
the classic excuse for inaction on any tricky subject nowadays - "Because we 
can't achieve perfection instantly, we shouldn't bother making any 
improvements at all".

Most progress inconveniences somebody. Back in the 1800s, somebody probably 
said:

"As I took the carriage to work today, I spotted about five ragged African 
fellows shining shoes for a pittance; probably more than I ever had working 
on my farm. What's this ban on slavery actually achieving apart from 
suppression of small scale industry"

Are you even sure that the weights were lead? I'm no expert, but I seem to 
remember lead being banned in fishing weights some time back and I'm pretty 
sure they still exist.

Again, sorry for expressing what is probably am unpopular view. I actually 
work in the small-scale electronics industry, but I live on Earth too.

Steve L.