ABSTRACT
The United States is regarded as the first country to discuss regulations on the usage of lead after numerous studies on the toxicity of lead in 1989. Legislative attempts ensued; the lack of a drop-in replacement for electronics resulted in abandonment of the movement. In the late 1990s, Japan undertook a self-imposed restriction with many electronics manufacturers aiming to gain brand awareness by claiming ‘‘environmentally friendly operations.’’ In 1997, Japan’s technology research gained world recognition when Matsushita Electric introduced a consumer product using lead-free solder that gained market share over competitors. A variety of European Committee legislation has been proposed prohibiting the use of toxic substances containing lead by 2004, accelerating the movement for lead-free solder. Largely ignored in North America, Japan declared support for total elimination of lead and started work on legislation to ban lead. While timelines have been revised for European legislation limiting lead use, the date is proposed to be July 1, 2006 with various exemptions for industrial segments such as military and aerospace electronics [1].
