On 9/16/2008 7:44 AM BobK207 spake thus:

On Sep 15, 9:34 pm, (Don Klipstein) wrote:

In m, David Nebenzahl
wrote:

o Drainpipe sealant

Can you tell me what is inherently wrong with that one?

Oh, I don't know, how about *lead leaching into wastewater*?

Please tell me how drain sealant has lead!!

I believe the OP is referring to the original practice of using lead &
oakum (?) to assemble cast iron drain lines.

Leaching of lead into waste water was probably very minimal but with
waste water from lots of houses draining into a semi-closed body of
water concentrations could build up.

Even copper fresh water plumbing leaches copper into water and over
time contributes to increasing copper levels in San Francisco bay.

Yes, that's what I was referring to. Just saw another lead-sealed joint
helping a friend work on the drain line from his 100+-year old
Victorian. The point, as you stated, is that small amounts of leached
metal do add up. So maybe there actually is a *good reason* we don't use
lead and oakum that way anymore, even though it does create a very good
seal.

(btw, please get in the habit of trimming replies)


--
Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the
powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.

- Paulo Freire