On Sep 18, 11:51 am, "Arfa Daily" wrote:
It just seemed to me that things like lead-free solder were a
dubious waste of time and money that had no discernable impact on the
environment, whereas an issue like spares availability, which would be
actually quite easy to legislate on - if only on the cost that manufacturers
sell them out at when they are still available - could have a huge and
genuine impact on the amount of kit being scrapped for what amounts to no
good reason. Does that make sense ?

Makes sense, but I think it is incomplete. I once made a bad joke to a
Brit about how the included "u" (colo-u-r, flavo-u-r) is specifically
responsible for the destruction of the British Empire, and had GB
dropped such silly nonsense 300 years ago, the compounded savings in
print, ink, paper, space and so forth would have made all the
difference to their present third-tier status. (Do a search on: MEIHEM
IN CE KLASRUM for giggles) He was furious, but laughing at the same
time.

As to lead-free solder, it is a technology problem more-so than an
environmental problem to get it right. I use it on occasion (5% silver
content by choice) but I prefer my 63/37 and as I work 90% on vintage
stuff, I have no "requirements" hanging over me, and as it is a hobby,
not a business, even less so. My view is therefore distorted on the
magnitude of the problem.

But, equipment failure and spares for it is an entire mind-set that is
only accidentally and peripherally related to any level of Government
regulation. Do a reality check: That Denon with the wonky
transformer.... your customer who wants it repaired after 7 years is
the exception, hardly the rule. And here in the US, such a customer
would be a rare beast indeed as the US has near-perfected the tissue-
paper economy and the need to keep the inventory turning. Also the US
still operates under the delusion that there is infinite space and
that one's trash miraculously disappears from the curb each week
without fuss or concern. So, the Government ceases to regulate spares
as companies may easily demonstrate that there is no demand for them,
and where there is a tiny demand they can assuage a customer with a
simple bribe.

You are at that point where the decision between repair and scrap is
felt most keenly. It is a daily part of your reality and you see the
volume of scrap generated directly relative to the total. The
individual who tosses out a US$39 CD player for a bad internal fuse or
slipped belt has no clue how much of this crap gets tossed, nor do
they care... they have been hypnotized not to. But all-and-at-the-same-
time, they will get all warm and fuzzy reading about how "their"
representative or government has saved the world from heavy metal
poisoning.

I sympathize, but I see the problem as being much closer to, if not
"at" home, not in some governmental chamber. After all, 100% of the
individuals responsible for the RoHS directives were either elected or
appointed by those elected. We get exactly what we deserve. Joe and
Jill Sixpack are not overly concerned with much of anything more than
perhaps-3 meters beyond their line-of-site, and rely on what they are
given by way of the tabloid press or pre-digested 30-second TV items.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA