{"id":4873,"date":"2020-04-30T07:00:40","date_gmt":"2020-04-30T11:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=4873"},"modified":"2020-04-25T13:57:30","modified_gmt":"2020-04-25T17:57:30","slug":"is-there-lead-in-phone-charger-cords-end-of-a-phone-charger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/04\/30\/is-there-lead-in-phone-charger-cords-end-of-a-phone-charger\/","title":{"rendered":"“Is there lead in phone charger cords\/end of a phone charger?”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

(Answer requested by Cydonia Robb)<\/small><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’re really asking about solder<\/a>, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soldering<\/a> is the application of drop of molten metal to permanently secure electrical components to each other. The most common traditional soldering material is lead because it’s cheap and has a low melting point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it’s toxic as hell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many parts of the world, environmental and consumer protections disallow or minimize the routine use of lead in end-user products. In electronics, this usually means using various low-melting point alloys<\/a> in place of lead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, in theory, a consumer product should be safe for routine handling, if you live in an area with decent environmental and consumer protections, and if the manufacturer followed the rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what about opening up electronics for repair or salvage — e.g. non-routine<\/em> handling?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, in places with good laws and responsible manufacturers, if a product contains lead, the labeling should specifically say something like “Contains Lead” or “Contains Pb” (Pb is the chemical abbreviation for plumbum<\/em> — lead), or some such; perhaps even a generic “Do not recycle.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But again, that only applies if there are good, enforced rules, and the manufacturer follows them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many electronic products — especially the cut-rate stuff — comes from places where environmental and consumer regulations are either absent, minimal, or unenforced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other parts of the world, ignorant politicians are actively dismantling environmental and consumer protections, with likely poor repercussions to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, your best bet is to buy major-brand electronics from parts of the world with strong and actively-enforced environmental and consumer laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Absent that, it’s always safest to assume the worst: Assume there is<\/em> lead in your gear, regardless of how its labeled, and treat it accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See: <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n