I don't like those market forces any more than I like the way my stock portfolio is looking these days, and in both cases some action is needed. Some suggest that, because Japan is expected soon to drop consumer products with lead-free alloys on the United States, the inevitable is underway and there's no point fighting it. Perhaps they are taking a cue from OEMs like Motorola that have been out in front of much of this push. Motorola VP Iwona Turlik has cited at various conferences a study conducted several years ago by the German EPA that found environmental concerns to be the third leading factor behind a consumer's decision to purchase a certain item. Therein lies the rub.
New processes require new equipment, which in turn requires capital, and so on.
In the end, the customer pays more. Sure, and it says here they are lying. Nevertheless, OEM-dominated organizations like NEMI are spending significant resources to research alternatives. There's little doubt the companies investing in those studies are committed to the effort. And this industry's engineers and metallurgists know best when it comes to understanding the various ways metals may react with the environment, but thus far much of the reported debate has been among themselves - and they aren't the only ones who need convincing.