This week, for Industry Voices, Matt spoke with Stephen Wick (Chairman of Denis Wick Products, and MIA Board member) about the use of lead in acoustic instruments, and was surprised to hear from Trevor Coley (Founder/CEO of Sontronics) about the potential issues proposed new legislation may present where they might not be widely considered..
Stephen, you are ahead of the game in anticipating the potential effects of proposed legislation
Yes, as a manufacturer it is very important for us to look at the new regulations which are coming in all the time. Whether this is to do with correct labelling for valve oil, recycling instructions for packaging or restrictions on the use of certain chemicals, all these things are a potential risk to doing business, so we try to monitor this changing scene all the time. We do our best and anticipate potential changes in legislation, so that we can keep ahead of the game, but in the current risk-averse environment it is becoming increasingly hard to keep up with new regulations in all the different regions to which we export.
Some will be asking why EU legislation applies post-Brexit
Although the United Kingdom has left the European Union, certain pieces of legislation (formally known as ‘retained EU law’) will still apply until such time as they are replaced by new UK legislation; this means that we need to keep careful watch for new EU regulations proposed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and authorised under the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals)regulations.
There are new proposals for restrictions on the use of lead which REACH have delayed announcing, but should be released later this year.
Why is lead so important to our industry?
If lead in alloys such as brass were to be restricted, that would pose real problems for the industry. Lead is a common component in many alloys, as the lead content greatly improves an alloy’s malleability. For instance, steel for turning has a lead content in order to make it easier to machine. Brass without lead is very much harder to machine, and lead-free alternatives are less readily available and more expensive as well as being more difficult to work.
Lead is also widely used as a component of solder. Lead solder (typically 60% tin 40% lead, usually written as Sn60Pb40) is prized for its strength, its low melting point and the way it flows easily when molten. It is not currently banned, but alternate lead-free solders are often used instead and are very effective. If its use is restricted it would not be a disaster for the music industry as the alternatives are now well established.
What is the potential for lead content to pose a health risk to players?
Although lead is a potentially dangerous substance, there is no evidence that the very low levels in brass instruments (about 2%) present any any kind of risk to human health. Instruments are usually protected by a layer of lacquer or silver plating. Even if a raw brass instrument is played the relatively low level of contact time with the skin means there is little chance of any absorption through skin contact. This is important, as some previous bans, such as the use of nickel in items including watch straps and earrings, have been based on prolonged contact times. Not even the most assiduous brass player would be playing for 12 hours a day or more, day in, day out. Tests by approved laboratories have shown that rates of absorption through skin contact with raw brass are so low as to be negligible.
How likely is it that the proposed legislation would present problems to MI?
In view of the fact that the use of brass presents no threat to human health it is difficult to conceive that any new regulation would restrict its use. However, there is always the danger that the music industry can become caught up in well-meaning legislation that has unintended consequences. Therefore, it is important that we make our voice heard and that a ‘cultural exception’ is made for the traditional manufacturing of brass instruments and for the use of brass, and indeed for lead, for the tonal and structural properties that they bring to a wide range of musical instruments including brass, woodwinds, pianos and guitars.
Trevor, I was surprised to discover that these regulations might affect Sontronics, tell me more.
Since its inception in 2005, Sontronics has been using brass [a material that uses lead as an alloying agent] in the manufacture of its microphones. Whilst there are several far less expensive options available, brass has several key attributes which make it our material of choice: it resists corrosion extremely well, and it’s relatively simple to machine and achieve a high-quality finish, whether bare, painted or plated.
How does use of this material influence the sound of your microphones?
This is another far more critical factor in our decision to use brass in manufacturing. Sontronics microphones have become renowned globally for their outstandingly rich and smooth sound reproduction, and this is in-part related to the specific mass and density of brass used in their construction. I’m in no doubt that substituting brass for alternative material would produce significantly negative results.
There are two things the MIA is doing about this; firstly by raising awareness within the industry, and secondly by lobbying on this matter to ensure the UK has a stance on preventing this damage to the MI Sector. The legislation is currently only at the proposal stage, but it’s better to be ahead of the game than behind it to avoid anything similar to the problems presented by the Ivory Act, 2018.
We are currently collecting evidence and engaging with interested partners for support, and will be writing to the Government in due course to begin that process. If you feel your commercial activities may be impacted by this development please get in touch with Matt and support our work on this important matter.