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LEAD FREE MATERIALS IN DRINKING WATER

LEAD FREE MATERIALS IN DRINKING WATER. Peter Flynn Global Engineering Reliance Worldwide President, Plumbing Products Industry Group Australia. Background to the US Lead Free Regulations. Prop 65 came into force in California in March 2000

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LEAD FREE MATERIALS IN DRINKING WATER

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  1. LEAD FREE MATERIALS IN DRINKING WATER Peter Flynn • Global Engineering Reliance Worldwide • President, Plumbing Products Industry Group Australia

  2. Background to the US Lead Free Regulations • Prop 65 came into force in California in March 2000 • Required warnings of hazardous substances eg. Lead amongst others

  3. Background to the US Lead Free Regulations

  4. Results of Prop 65 • Variousgroups petitioned State of California for lack of enforcement • Eg. As You Sow Foundation. www.asyousow.org ‘Planting the Seeds for Social Change’ • Filed notices of violation against manufacturers, distributors and retailers. • Some reached settlements and agreed to remove lead from products.

  5. Reaction to Notice of Violation Valve industry in general decided to fight the action. Prop 65 could not be verified because it contained no suitable test method. Some manufacturers decided to use lead free as a marketing tool, generally failed because market was not willing to pay extra and no enforcement. Note: Under current law lead free can be defined as up to <8%

  6. Origins of Incoming Californian Law AB1953 Test methods proposed under NSF ruled invalid in March 2004. Lobbying activity lead to adoption of AB1953 which comes into force 1 January 2010. AB1953 has changes definition of lead free, but significantly lacked method of test.

  7. California Assembly Bill AB1953 Revises definition of lead free to mean <0.25% for every component with a wetted area. Prohibits using materials that are not lead free in repairs. Prohibits introducing into commerce for use in California product to convey water for human consumption that is not lead free. Exempts manufacturing, industrial and irrigation. Prohibits sale of solder or flux that is not lead free unless accompanied by prominent label. Defines lead free as <0.25% lead by using a weighted average formula.

  8. Reaction to Bill To date much conjecture about test methods or lack thereof PMI has introduced bill to legislate for an ANSI accredited authority to conduct a test to modified NSF61 Still not certain as to outcome

  9. Enforcement To date not clear indication of how California intends to enforce requirement Expectation is come 2 Jan 2010, flocks of lawyers to descend on plumbing merchants to assess and test product Also some concern within industry as to actions of lobby groups in other states

  10. Solutions for Lead Free Material • Why is Lead in Brass? • Castability • Machinability • Alternatives • Silicon – predominantly in castings and with higher copper • Bismuth – predominantly in forgings and machining bar, also higher copper • No ‘standards’ as yet, all proprietary products

  11. Other Issues with Lead Free Use of virgin material, little scrap. Cost – something like 10-25% more, by no means certain Logistics – having to stock 2 ranges for the other 48 States because of cost

  12. Australia? Could be 2 potential drivers • Regulation – follow US lead via • Standards AS4020 • Regulation • Lobbying • Logistics and commercial decision making • Supply chain evolves • Relative size of market

  13. Questions

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