New England Lead-Free Electronics Consortium
Although lead is a well-established human and environmental hazard, it is still used in many products such as printed circuit boards in electronics products. Lead has remained the preferred material on printed circuit boards for the past 60 years because of its proven reliability. To help the electronics industry find alternatives to lead, the Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) and the University of Massachusetts Lowell convened the New England Lead-Free Electronics Consortium. The Consortium is a collaborative effort of industry, government, and academia.
The Framework for Sustainable Products helps guide this effort. The goal of the project is to eliminate lead in consumer electronics products, which will make these products healthier for consumers. By removing lead from manufacturing, the production process will be safer for workers. By eliminating lead in electronics that is a problem if improperly disposed of at end of product life, the product will be more environmentally sound. The Consortium evaluates alternatives for performance and also for economic viability.
For more information, contact Greg Morose or visit the TURI web site.
