What the Lead Industry says on the Web

Extracts chosen from the internet by Elizabeth O'Brien, National Coordinator, The LEAD Group Inc., Sydney, Australia

International Lead Zinc Research Organization, Inc.

1. http://www.ilzro.org/

P.O. Box 12036
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2036,USA
Ph: + 1 919-361-4647
Fax: +1 919-361-1957
e-mail: rputnam@ilzro.org

About ILZRO

The International Lead Zinc Research Organization, Inc. was formed in 1958 as a non-profit research foundation for the purpose of conducting research on behalf of the international community of lead and zinc miners and smelters. Since that time, ILZRO's membership has grown to include significant numbers of end-users of these metals from among the steel, automotive, die casting, battery, galvanizing and other industries.

The ILZRO website has links to all the other websites and describes the other lead organisations as follows: -

International Lead Management Center (ILMC) is an international center providing advice on all aspects of lead risk management to the lead industry. [Ed. Note: see article in LEAD Action News vol 7 no 1 1999 on the ILMC. As an industry-sponsored Association, most of ILMC's resources are devoted to technology transfer to developing countries on matters of lead production and recycling in an effort to reduce occupational exposures and environmental emissions. ILMC works at the invitation of governments and industry - with priorities and actions being established by the entity issuing the invitation. ILMC's product initiatives have largely focused upon the priorities dictated by OECD in the Ministerial Declaration on Lead. REF: Email from Dr Craig Boreiko, Director ILMC, 26^th April 2000.]

International Lead Zinc Study Group (ILZSG) is an inter-governmental organization based in the U.K. which provides a comprehensive range of lead and zinc statistics.

Lead Development Association International (LDAI) is a U.K.-based trade association representing companies and associations in Europe and internationally which are concerned with the safe production, use and disposal of lead and lead products.

Lead Industries Association (LIA) is a U.S.-based trade association for the North American lead industry. This site offers information on lead production, uses and benefits, as well as environmental issues.

London Metal Exchange (LME) specializes in non-ferrous metals, including lead and zinc. This site lists contract specifications and current and archived statistics for traded metals.

International Lead and Zinc Study Group

http://www.ilzsg.org/

2 King Street
London SW1Y 6QP, England
Ph: +44 20 7839 8550
Fax: +44 20 7930 4635
e-mail: root@ilzsg.org

[ED Note: None of the wide variety of lead and zinc statistics, maps or other information that the general public have access to on the International Lead and Zinc Study Group website may be reproduced without permission.]

Briefly, in 2000, the ILZSG plans to prepare a directory of product restrictions on lead, zinc and cadmium imposed by either national governments or inter-governmental organisations.

Lead Development Association International

http://www.ldaint.org/

42 Weymouth St
London W 1N 3LQ, England
Ph: +44 171 499 8422
Fax: +44 171 493 1555
Date 23rd January 2000

The LEAD DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL is dedicated to encouraging the responsible use of lead and its compounds.

Lead Consumption by End-Use 1997

• Batteries 72%
• Chemicals 11%
• Sheet / Extrusions 6%
• Shot 2%
• Alloys 2%
• Cable Sheathing 2%
• Petrol 1%
• Miscellaneous 4%

For those people who do have the time and the internet access: -

Some free publications can be requested on the LDAI website, including: -: Lead batteries: a look to the future, Medical aspects of lead absorption in industrial processes, Health & hygiene in lead processes, Secondary lead smelting and refining: Health and safety guidelines, Lead - Technical notes on production, properties & uses, Lead - Resource material for the National Curriculum, Lead - a general introduction, Lead and the environment, BTA Study cards.

The LDAI website has a Technical Enquiry Service - Environmental and general questions on lead are answered free of charge [by e-mail].

Lead Industries Association, Inc.

http://www.leadinfo.com  Because the Lead Industries Association, Inc., (“LIA”) has declared bankruptcy and is no longer an active organization, this website as originally created by LIA is being maintained solely as a historical resource by a hostmaster on behalf of those who have an interest in lead issues. All statements, documents, and other information included, or otherwise identified in this website were made, selected, written, assembled, or identified by LIA. The hostmaster assumes no responsibility for the included information, has provided access to such LIA materials and other information solely as a courtesy, and makes no representations or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness, usefulness, or appropriateness of any such materials, information, action or other creation of LIA. Hosted Courtesy of Vulcan Lead, Inc

Vulcan Lead, Inc.
1400 W Pierce St.
Milwaukee, WI 53204

Phone: (800) 932-LEAD x213
Fax: (414) 645-2040  Or send email to sales@vulcanlead.com

Lead Facts

Lead is one of the first metals to have been used by humans, with uses dating back to 6500 BC.

Extract from Media Release dated February 24, 1998

For the past two years, Vulcan Lead [a sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Luge team for more than 10 years] and Mark Grimmette [of the United States Olympic Luge Team], who won the bronze medal in Nagano, have participated in the Lead Industries Association's Lead Expo, held in Washington D.C., to discuss the importance of lead to Members of Congress and their staffs.

Vulcan provides specifically manufactured lead weights that are used in the Olympic athletes' racing vests and for the weighting of their sleds.

Technology

Without the use of lead solders and leaded glass you would not be able to safely sit in front of your computer. Lead alloy solders enable your computer to send electronic data. Lead is the glue that binds our electronic world together. It plays a vital role in space exploration, energy conservation and telecommunications.

Lead-based materials are facilitating the development of hyper fast computers and high definition TV, as well as cathode ray tubes used in viewing screens for television, computers and radar.

NASA's Space Shuttle uses lead-alloy solder. No other means of connecting transistors, relays and other electronic components is as reliable. Lead glazes are used to encapsulate and protect the latest generation of electronic microcircuits from atmospheric corrosion. Our space program relies heavily on lead products.

Sources of Concern

With rare exceptions, elevated blood lead levels in young children are believed to be the result of old, discontinued uses of lead.

A study relying on EPA data by ENVIRON Corp. of Arlington, Va. concluded that the "average blood lead level in two-year-old children nationwide [US] would be reduced only by approximately 0.1 m g/dL if all exposures from current uses of lead were subtracted from total lead exposure." Such a change would be too small to even be detected in actual measurements of blood-lead levels.

The Future

The ENVIRON study concluded that blood-lead levels could be expected to drop further over the coming decade, without further changes in lead usage. This decline may be accelerated by concentrating public health efforts toward urban centers. 

Q & A: Why use Lead?

A recent caller to The LEAD Group's Lead Advisory Service Australia asked me (EO'B) the following:

"I was recently at a dinner party and a friend noticed a sliver of metal on her food instantly before swallowing it. It was probably off a wine bottle. Wine capsules don't contain lead do they?" My answer: "Lead is still permitted here." Her next question: "Why do we go on being so stupid and allowing lead in consumer products?" My answer: "Lead is a by-product of zinc, copper and silver mining and while ever we mine these metals, in the absence of any other controls, the market will always be supplied with the cheap lead by-product." She responded with the contention that "Fluoride is also a by-product, of the aluminium industry and fluoride is in the water because the aluminium industry is very powerful and they have to use up this by-product."

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