safety of lead free solder

I had thought lead-free solder was considered safe.

I was prepared to let a 12 year old begin soldering (under supervision)
until I saw a warning on the back of the package stating that 'this
product contains a known carinogen to the state of Calif' (not exact
quote). Its standard stock lead-free solder from Radio Shack having
96% tin, 4% silver. (Where's the carcinogen in that?)

I am reluctant to let a child use this solder.
Does a safe solder exist?

Thanks,
JD

 

Many do. You could overdose on it, though. If
enough is stuffed down someone's gullet, they die.

Do you live in California? If so, and you take all the
locals' fears seriously, you will have to deal with that
issue first. Otherwise, please be aware that the state
is known for going so far overboard with warning
labels that many people ignore them, rationally.

You could eat solder once in awhile without harm.
It is a metal and passes thru the GI tract. A small
amount can be absorbed, so don't make it a habit.

I would be more concerned about breathing the
smoke from the burning resin, but for occasional
exposures even that is a far-fetched worry.

Welcome.

 

Use a small fan that blows away the "smoke" coming from the solder.

 

Don't worry about it. Since the flakes and nuts took over CA, _everything_
is a "known carciongen". The "carcinogen" is probably in the flux fumes,
and you'd have to concentrate them and breathe nothing else for 75 years,
at which point you'd probably be dead of something else anyway.

Cheers!
Rich

 

If you go to the Kester Web site and check their MSDS section for a
particular solder product you will find the specific carcinogen hazards
detailed there.

 

The flux may contain something known to have a nonzero rate of causing
cancer to mice or rats if they are fed/injected/gassed daily for months
(or surgically implanted) with not quite enough of the stuff to kill them in
some other way.

What is known outside the State of California to be a laughingstock is
California's legislature, which got us warning labels that say things such
as Christmas lights being known to cause birth defects, etc. Apparently
most materials other than legislator brains are known to the State of
California to be carcinogens!

Actually, flux fumes aren't perfectly safe to breathe so it's a good
idea to not breathe too much flux fumes, although flux fumes are probably
not one of the major hazards in the life of someone who even solders for a
living. Same can be said of most other smokes and dusts in concentrations
that are visible in room air.

- Don Klipstein ()

 

If you go to the Kester Web site and check their MSDS section for a
particular solder product you will find the specific carcinogenic hazards
detailed there. The information should be similar for the Radio Shack
product you are using.

 

As you can see, the nay sayers and laissez-faire republicans who could give
a crap about health as they guzzle their six packs and puff on their
cigarettes are out in force poo-pooing the state of California's warnings.
They would rather remain ignorant than to be advised of some problems that
may occur in using that product. Ignorance is bliss and if anybody tries to
advise them, they shine it off as coming from the liberal nut cases in
granola land. The land of fruits, nuts, and flakes. Those warnings may be
overstated but, all they are, after all, are warnings to let people know
that there are certain chemicals involved that have caused cancer in lab
animals, albeit at high dose. You are free to do what you want, eat the
solder, breathe the fumes, whatever. But, a prudent person would take it
under advisement and probably use good ventillation when soldering and not
use it to solder water pipes or food implements without the proper non-toxic
and non-carcinogenic flux. It's common sense.
Bob

 

I saw a warning on the back of the package stating that 'this

Nope. Can't blame this one on the professional lawmakers.
This was Proposition 65,
a populist initiative sponsored by citizens who failed science.
These things (Props) are done when the Assembly is being too
deliberative
and actually take time to examine the facts.

 

I remember in the fifties when buying shoes, you would look into this big
(wooden!) X-ray box to see if the toes were fitting. Those salesgirls were
operating the machines day in and out. Wonder about theirs and their
offspring health. Is there any data on the net?

 

We don't have to, because the state of California's warnings are,
essentially, already poo-poo.

HAH! Ignorant is as ignorant does.

^^^^^^^^^

Well, on this morning's TeeVee Nooz, I noticed that hair dye has just been
given a clean bill of health. This is very likely because the rulemakers
don't want their Grecian Formula taken away. And they like their bleached
blondes.

Yeah, but for how long? How far are we from the point where everything not
specifically permitted is prohibited?

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Feh. If you used common sense, you wouldn't need Big Brother nanny state
to tell you when it's "safe" to wipe your own ass.

Thanks,
Rich

 

Overstated?! Now that is a serious understatement. I just received my
new model airplane engine in the mail the other day and it had that
cancer waning on the box. The warning was for the engine, not the fuel
or oil used to run the engine. I have no doubt that there is some
element, probably chromium, in some alloy in the parts of that engine
that, in the right form and sufficient dose, could cause cancer.
However, I also have no doubt that I could carry that engine, and or any
of it parts, in my had all day every day and never get cancer from it.
Certainly there would be no chance of getting cancer from any
conceivable use of that engine. That is why why these things that are
"known" to the state of California are such a joke. Now if they
restricted the warnings to things were there was really a chance of
getting cancer from the normal use or even abuse of a product, then I'm
sure they would be taken more seriously. There is a good chance of
getting seriously injured or even killed by that engine but it won't be
from cancer. If they want to put a warning on the box, they should warn
of the real dangers of using that engine, like chopping your fingers off
or killing some one by flying it into them.

--
Chris W

Gift Giving Made Easy
Get the gifts you want &
give the gifts they want
http://thewishzone.com

 

I have no doubt that there is some

There goes my plan to make it into the Guinnes Book of World Records by
eating twenty seven model airplane engines.

 

It's not common sense to put a cancer warning on vinyl coated aluminum
fence wire.

Mark Zenier Washington State resident

 

You wouldn't know common sense if it jumped up and bit you in the ass.

Besides which Rich clearly has uncommon sense. ;-)

Well, thank Goddess that we don't live in Walznia, where King Steve
gets to kill anybody he doesn't like.

 

No, but it'll sure bring in those research grants! (of taxpayer
money, of course.)