I have replaced all my lead wire with nonlead substitute. How do I properly dispose of the lead wire I have? With two young ones (3 and 1.5 years) I worry about the potential harm lead can be if they were to somehow get of hold of it when I am tying (I store the lead spools in a locked tool box in the garage).
Maybe a call to a lead abatement contractor in your area might have the answer.
Since lead wire is still available and still used for fly tying why not give it away to someone less environmentally conscious. I’m sure you’d have several takers on the “For Sale” board.
If you feel that is being hypocritical; most counties or local towns have some type of hazardous waste disposal program for stuff like old paint, lead, mercury, etc.
Check the blue pages of your local telephone book. Or call your local town administration office.
Hi Tyrone Fly,
The amount of lead wire you have is very minimal, probably. Lead is also very stable in the ground, and the hydroxides, etc., are pretty insoluble. In short it probably won’t hurt to send it to the landfill.
There are also lots of metal salvage yards around. Any of those would probably take it from you.
Beyond that, if you advertise it on this board, ie: you will send it to whom ever wants it, if they pay the shipping, you will probably have a taker.
Regards,
Gandolf
Tyrone fly,
The three harmeful methods of lead are ingestion, digestion, and absorption. If you don’t melt it, and the kids don’t put it in their mouths and eat it, and if they should handle it, wash their hand well after touching it, there is no problem. I am a certified Risk Assessor and deal with this and poisoned children on a daily basis. I also have a stock pile of about 1500 lbs of lead in my basement. Treated properly, no problem.
Isn’t ingestion and digestion similar if not the same?
Slight difference. Digestion in this instance would be eating and ingestion would be linked with breathing or inhaling. I guess the important thing to know is it all ends up in the body.
You can ingest something and if it’s not digested if you watch carefully you can recover it :roll: :roll:
That must be fun to move! :lol:
It never gets moved my friend.
Guess it all depends on the definitions you are looking at and in what genre book.
Is that like being politically correct?
Ducksterman, I think you nailed it.
Flyrodde, language taken from HUD’s Federal Lead Hazard Risk Reduction Program. :oops:
Let me put it into my words, eat it, breath it, have it rub through the skin into your system.
I don’t see the problem.
In my profile is my emal address. You are welcome to send it to me. I will dispose of it in the proper method. :lol:
Chewydog,
Sorry, but another has asked before you.
Thanks all for your recommendations.
You know I keep reading about all the hazards to waterfowl from lead and I really have to disagree with them as I did with my comments to the Federal Register several years ago.
I’ve made my own jigs and sinkers since I was 11 and on the tube jigs heads I’ve always stuck them in my mouth to lube them up to put in the tube.
I’ve had my lead level checked every time I have my physical and mine is nil so It really makes you wonder sometimes.
Fatman,
You must be an anomaly. 
Fatman,
I just wanted to briefly reply to what you said. You are correct. Lead, in a solid state, poses no threat. The biggest problem occurs during developmental stages, pregnancies, children 6 and under. I too have melted lead for bunches of years. Ventilation and clean up are the important factors.
As far as I know, I too am normal. It’s someone else’s opinion that will count there.
Waterfowl, as most birds, swallow small stones to grind up food in their gizzards. They don’t chew so the stones act as teeth.
When the birds swallow small lead shot the other stones they swallow actually grind the lead into extremely small particals allowing them to absorb the lead. That is why they are at risk. That is also why lead over .5 oz is still allowed in NY (For Now). The birds don’t eat stones that large.
As for the birds that do ingest the lead, most of the time they are not affected directly unless they are young. Adult birds do pass the lead level to their young, which may die as a result. Any animal, including humans, that eat the birds also receive a dose of lead, which builds up in a persons system like other heavy metals and PCB’s. That animal or human can also pass that lead to their offspring.
One of the primary threats to recovery of the California Condor is lead poisoning. They ingest the lead when they feed on carcasses. It is not a pleasant death, either.
The following link has some info on lead poisoning of condors, and links to more lead info.