Lead is banned in many parts of the world for certain applications. In the US the use of lead has been banned from paint and as an additive in gasoline for over 30 years. In the European Union it has been illegal to use tin-lead solder in most electronics since 2007, where most products must conform with directives called RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances) and REACH (Registration, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals). China has a similar program to RoHS, at least in theory - but China being the way it is, let's just say it's selectively enforced. So now most electronics products manufactured anywhere in the world are made without tin-lead solder. There are exceptions that do allow certain uses of lead, such as in batteries, but anyone marketing such products must establish or help pay for a recycling program to keep these materials out of land fills.
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