Environmental Impact of Lead in Electronics Production

[michael.witte]

Hi Covers,

I work in the electronics production industry. We are working on our EMS system and ISO14001 accreditation.

In identifying our Aspects and Impacts, what is the ENVIRONMENTAL impact of lead (either into landfill, or the air as lead oxide dust).

There is lots of information around about RoHS, but nothing I have found so far states and environmental impact, just the effect on human health (which we have been advised should be excluded from an EMS system).

Any help, links or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Sidney Vianna]

I googled "environmental impact of lead" and, as expected, a gazillion hits came back. One of the first and most relevant hits was http://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/lead/hlth.html

 

[Randy]

Hi Covers,

I work in the electronics production industry. We are working on our EMS system and ISO14001 accreditation.

In identifying our Aspects and Impacts, what is the ENVIRONMENTAL impact of lead (either into landfill, or the air as lead oxide dust).

There is lots of information around about RoHS, but nothing I have found so far states and environmental impact, just the effect on human health (which we have been advised should be excluded from an EMS system).

Any help, links or advice would be greatly appreciated.

1st...whoever you got the information from about humans being excluded should give you your money back because they have no idea what they are saying. It has been as is still identified that humans are part of the environment that can be impacted. Here is what ISO 14001;2004 states specifically...........

ISO 14001:2004, clause 3.5

environment
surroundings in which an organization (3.16) operates, including air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, humans, and their interrelation
NOTE Surroundings in this context extend from within an organization (3.16) to the global system.

Humans cannot be excluded from the equation and I will shout that from the higest rooftop and directly to the face of the bogus expert that told you different.


OK, now to your question about interaction of lead (Pb). Very simply put, lead is a bio-accumulative heavy metal that can have an effect on DNA structure in plants and animals. Lead will leach out from its interaction with rain and other fluids in landfills, get into water sources, climb up the foodchain through natural processes of lower life being consumed by higher life from plants to animals (flora to fauna) and ultimately end up in human beings. Lead will attack specific organs like the kidney, liver and spleen because they are very blood rich and also flow into the brain,and nervous system impacting understanding, reasoning and creating a form of retardation. Lead dust can enter through the lungs, cause various cancers and other nice things, and also get into the blood there as well.

That's a very simple non-scientific explaination from a dumb old Grunt.

Just do a Google search with something like "Lead pollution" and see what you get..............And get rid of your expert!

 

[Stijloor]

Hi Covers,

I work in the electronics production industry. We are working on our EMS system and ISO14001 accreditation.

In identifying our Aspects and Impacts, what is the ENVIRONMENTAL impact of lead (either into landfill, or the air as lead oxide dust).

There is lots of information around about RoHS, but nothing I have found so far states and environmental impact, just the effect on human health (which we have been advised should be excluded from an EMS system).

Any help, links or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hello Michael,

Would this be of help to you?

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=impact+on+environment+of+lead+oxide+dust+&hl=en&um=1&oi=scholart

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=impact+of+lead+on+environment&btnG=Search

Stijloor.

 

[Randy]

You guys must have been posting the same time as me.

Great links.....

I'm still trying to figure out the human thing

 

[Stijloor]

Hi Covers,

I work in the electronics production industry. We are working on our EMS system and ISO14001 accreditation.

In identifying our Aspects and Impacts, what is the ENVIRONMENTAL impact of lead (either into landfill, or the air as lead oxide dust).

There is lots of information around about RoHS, but nothing I have found so far states and environmental impact, just the effect on human health (which we have been advised should be excluded from an EMS system).

Any help, links or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Michael,

Can you enlighten us Covers why you were advised to exclude the effects of lead on human health? My Fellow Covers and I are very curious.....

 

[harry]

Global Impact of Lead Poisoning in Children & Adults

 

[michael.witte]

Thanks everyone, I also found some links at the same time. wildlife.state.nh.us/Fishing/Fishing_PDFs/Lead_Out_Brochure_2004.pdf

To answer Randy we had EMS training last week (SAI Global), and our trainer told us to be careful not to mix OH&S issues with Environmental issues. This caused a bit of discussion that was unresolved in my mind.

That is why I wanted to make sure that this Aspect had a clear impact on the environment (outside of us humans). The links everyone has given have helped answer that question.

Now that the question of is lead dangerous to the environment, what are the comments about keeping OH&S issues out of the Aspects & Impacts.

 

[Randy]

You've asked the Million $ question.

It is very difficult, but use a rule of thumb....any work activity that "emits" something that can cause harm can be both environmental and OHS related, noise, fumes, chemical reaction, waste, etc.... In cases like that you'll have no seperation and control of the emissions will be necessary. This would leave out those things that may be purely OH&S like crushing, puncturing, and so on. What you guys will neeed to do is take a good honest look and then decide.

 

[Sidney Vianna]

Can you enlighten us Covers why you were advised to exclude the effects of lead on human health? My Fellow Covers and I are very curious.....

That is why I wanted to make sure that this Aspect had a clear impact on the environment (outside of us humans). The links everyone has given have helped answer that question.

Humans are still part of the environment. I believe that the instructor was trying to make a very valid point about the scope of applicability of ISO 14001. Some people commonly mix occupational health and safety issues when implementing ISO 14001. The focus of ISO 14001 is the impact of the operation to it's outside environment. An occupational health and safety management system focuses on the risks and hazards within the work environment. Both management systems are very important, but once again, the focus of 14001 is not the same as OHSAS 18001, for example.

A typical scenario where confusion exists: During emergency preparedness drills, is very common for organizations to focus solely on getting it's employees safe, out of harms way. While that is extremely important, certain operations need also to extend it's emergency preparedness drills to address potential environmental impacts, such as toxic clouds being formed and impacting the surrounding community (Bhopal, Chernobyl comes to mind).

So, to summarize, I don't think your instructor was advising you to ignore the human aspect of environmental impacts, but to focus on impacts outside of your organization envelope.