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Lead-Free Solder Partnership
About This Project | Milestones | Publications | Partners
Did you know...?
Worldwide, over 176 million pounds of tin-lead solder are used annually.
To address the information gap on the environmental impacts of leaded and lead-free solders, EPA's DfE Program entered into a voluntary partnership with representatives of the electronics industry and other interested parties to evaluate the environmental impacts of tin-lead and lead-free solders (see the Partners page of this website for more information on project partners).
The partnership used a life-cycle assessment approach to examine the impacts of tin-lead, tin-copper, tin-silver-copper, and tin-silver-copper-bismuth solders. Goals of the project included:
Solders in Electronics: A Life-Cycle Assessment
The Solders in Electronics: A Life-Cycle Assessment (full report) and LCA summary document is available. This report contains the results of an evaluation of the potential environmental impacts of selected lead-free solders as alternatives to tin-lead solder.
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evaluating the environmental impacts of tin/lead solder and
selected lead-free alternative solders,
evaluating the effects of lead-free solders on recycling
and reclamation at the end of the electronic product life-cycle,
and
assessing the leachability of lead-free solders and their
potential environmental effects.
For more information about the project, contact DfE.