The Lead Crisis of Flint, Michigan

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lead replacement, Lead substitute

Cries against the lead-poisoned water got due attention recently, but Flint’s struggle against lead poisoning isn’t anything new. In fact, the crisis has actually been years in the making.

Where It All Began

Troubles started brewing in the year 2011, when Michigan took over Flint’s finances and began undertaking cost-cutting measures across all spheres of life. One such measure was to switch the city’s water supply. The crisis could also have been less worse, had the river been treated with an anti-corrosion agent using a treatment which would only cost the state approximately $100 per day. The month of April 2014 saw the state switching to the Flint River for its water supply and residents soon began complaining of a yellowish color, a pungent smell and a weird taste in their water. However, constant cries fell on deaf years. At least until July 2015, when an internal memo stating was leaked that the lead levels in the water for a particular test subject was high enough for her son to get lead poisoning.

Were the Conclusions Really Premature?

An EPA administrator told the mayor that drawing any conclusions based on the memo would be premature, which led Virginia Tech researchers to draw their own conclusions and confirm the presence of lead in August 2015. The Department of Environmental Quality still disputed the research, and in September, the life-threatening water finally began to show its true colors – the levels of lead in children from certain parts of the city were alarmingly high. The city’s water supply was poisoning their children.

Lead Affects Thousands of Flint Residents

The struggle is real, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. Life in Flint has changed dramatically over the past few years. The locals live their lives in a constant state of paranoia and fear and some refuse to take a shower. Others eat only in paper plates as hundreds suffer from hair loss and rashes. With 41% of the city’s population enduring this crisis in a state of poverty, things just kept getting worse. Locals began exchanging food stamps for bottled water and most still wonder whom to blame for this crisis.

‘I am Sorry, and I Will Fix It’

Rick Snyder, the governor of Michigan, publically apologized for the Flint water crisis on January 19, promising to fix the problems caused by the Flint River water. He requested $28 million in aid to help children with high levels of lead, pay for filters and bottled water, re-strengthen the infrastructural integrity of Flint and assist people with potential behavioral issues. Many decried it was too little too late.

This Could Be You

Lead poisoning has become a major problem for people around the world. Flint might be ground zero for the crisis, but children suffering from lead poisoning can be found in many parts of the country. In fact, the lead levels in the children of Rochester was double the amount of lead found in the Flint children in the year 2014. And water poisoning is just one part of the equation. Although lead has been phased out of many products such as in gasoline and paint over the years given the increasing awareness of the health concerns lead poses, its use today is still alarmingly high. Nevertheless, there are lead replacement products and lead alternatives available in the marketplace today. For example, while lead has often been used to deliver mass given its high density, there are lead substitutes such as high density compounds which can deliver equivalent mass and density but without the toxicity. Hopefully with the publicity of this terribly unfortunate crisis, there will be a growing awareness of the dangers posed by lead and even greater efforts and demand for lead substitute products.

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Lead:Hunting the Indigenous Hunter

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Lead free ammunition, lead substitutes

Australian aborigines have adjusted to the modern times and the use of lead pellets is just one example, but we sometimes wonder whether they were better off stalking animals on foot, being able to tell when an emu or a kangaroo passed and what direction it tookby looking at the grass, tracking their prey to the ends of the world, and getting the job done without having to fire a single shot. Australian aborigines have always been famous as hunter-gatherers and many will still argue that there is nothing better than freshly caught meat.

The Hunter is Being Hunted

In their bid to modernize themselves, indigenous hunters may have also exposed themselves to a problem running rampage in the developed world – the problem of lead poisoning. Hunters making use of lead pellets for game shooting in the Northern Territories, Australia could be exposing themselves to the dangers of lead. Using lead pellets is illegal when it comes to waterfowl hunting throughout the country, except for NT, where the indigenous population is allowed to hunt on aboriginal land.

Experts Seem to Agree

Steven Skov, a physician with the Center for Disease Control, says that NT was one of the few remaining places in the developed world which still allowed its hunters to use lead pellets for hunting water birds. This comes as a great cause of concern, particularly once the studies from the 90s are taken into account. According to studies, the magpie geese found in hunting areas had high lead levels in their tissues, primarily because of lying in the mud covered with discharged lead pellets and also because of being shot at using lead pellets. This lead then found its way into the stomach once the hunters made a meal out of their game, thereby leading to elevated levels of lead in the human body.

Lead Becomes Redundant

Despite the apparent danger, lead was still being used, primarily because of the price advantage. However, even though the price gap narrowed and lead-free ammunition actually became economical, indigenous hunters continued to use lead. Dr.Skov argues that there is no reason to use the lead shot when better alternatives were available. “You should be able to use non-lead shot with no difference” he says, reiterating that playing with shotgun shells made using lead also put children at risk.

The Dangers of Lead

Lead poisoning is a serious condition that usually occurs over a period of months or years. Lead exposure presents a number of health issues which could be as trivial as fatigue or nausea or as serious as permanent mental conditions or death.

What Can You Do

The simplest way to reduce the use of lead is to spread awareness. Educating the indigenous population on the dangers posed by lead and presenting lead substitutes is the surest way to reduce the use of lead from the community. Exploring regulatory measures and looking towards the government for assistance in the matter could also help in regulating the use of lead and reducing the danger it poses.

Replacing Metal with Plastics

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composite materials, high density materials, thermoplastic composite materials

Replacing metals with plastic has finally become a viable and cost-effective option for many businesses. Engineered thermoplastics have made great in roads in offering businesses with many of the strengths that metals possess, without any of the draw backs that metals can be famous for.

Misconceptions About Plastic

One of the biggest misconceptions of plastic is that it tends to have a lower melt temperature as compared to metals, restricting its use in high temperature applications. This may be true in the broadest of terms, however, there are several flame-retardant properties that can be introduced to composite materials to help raise their melt temp and allow them to meet stringent flame-smoke-toxicity requirements. In fact, a number of these engineered thermoplastics such as Teflon have a melting point over575°F.

Why Choose Plastics Over Metals?

There are a number of reasons why plastics offer a better alternative to using metals.

• First and foremost, engineered thermoplastics have 1/7th the weight of most non-ferrous metals. This means that they act as a boon for industries such as the automobile sector where weight is an incredibly crucial aspect. Reducing weight is critically important for the automotive industry as they strive for ever better mileage with increasingly strict MPG targets put forth by regulators. These types of engineered plastics are hence vital for the automotive mileage quest as they can achieve the strengths of metals without the weight. Moreover, the size and volumes involved means that handling lighter materials makes it easier for the industry. A lighter material also means cheaper transportation costs.

• Plastics help bring about lower production costs and lower actual material costs. It is also often cheaper to produce injection moulded plastic parts when compared to their metal equivalents.

• Finally, thermoplastics don’t corrode or oxidise. This means less maintenance, a superior appearance and a longer life.

How Can I Replace Metal with Plastics?

There are two ways by which you can replace a metal with engineered thermoplastics –

1.Using a light-weight plastic which has the same physical properties and strength: Light-weight plastics are particularly needed by the automotive sector where these high-gravity compounds have become indispensable thanks to their various characteristics.

2.Using a plastic that has equal mass and density to a metal: Composite materials can achieve the same density that is required by your application while using plastic so as to offer direct cost savings in the manufacturing process by allowing you to switch from metallurgy to injection moulding. This becomes incredibly beneficial for those involved in complex part geometries or high-volume jobs.

How Can Ecomass Compounds Help?

Our composite materials offer a number of distinct advantages when compared to their metal equivalents in the form of low overall costs, reduced vibration, low maintenance, simplified designs, less weight, better resistance to chemicals and simplified designs. Our engineered thermoplastics can be customized to perfectly match your application requirements and offer you the most cost-effective materials. For applications which require electrical, physical or mechanical properties that go beyond off-the-shelf products, Ecomass Compounds also offers custom materials that can be tailor-made to meet your exact requirements.

There might be some cases where the use of metals is indispensable, but in most cases, one can easily switch to composite materials and high-gravity compounds. It ultimately depends on the end-use of the application.

Types of Radiation Shielding Materials

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high density materials, radiation shielding, radiation shielding materials

Traditionally, radiation shielding materials have for the most part been manufactured using lead. From industrial and nuclear shielding to radiation therapy, lead found its way into most spheres of shielding simply because its attenuating qualities made it the ‘material of choice’ when it came to radiation protection. However, lead poses all kinds of health risks, and severe cases of lead poisoning have also resulted in death. It seems particularly counterintuitive to introduce the use of lead, a known toxic material, in use at hospitals and for medical treatment, where one goes to receive health benefits and not to be exposed to further health risks. Given our increasing sensitivity towards the dangers of lead,there is a growing demand for lead free shielding materials and we have several options to choose from when it comes to choosing radiation shielding equipment.

Lead Shielding

Lead (atomic number 82, symbol Pb) is a malleable, soft and corrosion-resistant metal that comes with a high density and is incredibly useful in terms of x-ray shielding and gamma-ray shielding. In order to transform lead into a shielding material, it is mixed with additives and binders. This converts lead into a flexible vinyl sheet which is layered to achieve the desired thickness and incorporated into different types of radiation shielding equipment. The most common levels of lead protection include 0.25mm, 0.35mm and 0.

Lead Composites

Lead composites, or lead composite shielding, refers to a mixture of lightweight metals and lead. This proprietary mixture varies from one manufacturer to the other, but you can always expect non-toxic high density materials such as tin, PVC vinyl and rubber to find their way into the blend. The biggest advantage of using a lead composite is that it is up to 25% lighter when compared to regular lead shielding materials, despite offering the same protection against radiation. However, they still pose the same health risks as lead.

Lead Free Shielding

The third and most important type is lead-free shielding, which is produced from a blend of composite materials that eliminate the need for lead entirely without compromising on radiation protection. Leadfree shielding materials are created by mixing heavy metals such as bismuth, antimony, tin and tungsten, metals with polymers. The biggest advantage that these materials have to offer is that they are entirely recyclable and unlike lead or lead composites, they don’t pose any health hazards.

Choosing Between the Three

Each of these core shielding materials has its own features and benefits. There might be a number of factors such as the frequency and length of the procedure worth considering when making your decision, but you always feel safer choosing a lead free shielding alternative. After all, choosing a material which has its own health hazards to protect you from the health hazards of radiation does sound counter intuitive!

So Can I Really Breathe Free?

Despite posing all kinds of health risks, radiation is commonly used in several radiologic applications not only for diagnostics, but also for treating patients through advanced treatments. Modern-day applications are able to deal with radiation better, and this is largely due to the advent of radiation shielding materials. While these materials have literally transformed the field of medicine and helped in saving countless lives, the use of radiation isn’t entirely free from risks. Those dealing with radiation must understand how to protect the human body from radiation and also receive the right training in preventing injuries to ensure patient safety.

Metal Vs 3D Printed Thermoplastics: The Move Away from Metals in Automotive

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composite materials, thermoplastic composite materials

Metals have been used for all sorts of products given their impressive physical properties and the ability to add mass to certain applications. They offer dimensional accuracy, heat resistance, electrical conductivity and mechanical strength in addition to providing durability and quality. With that said, we are also witnessing a greater push among several industries, in particular automotive, to move away from metal products when and where possible. For automotive, there is a constant pressure towards lighter in an effort to improve fuel mileage standards. Moreover, for complex part geometries, or for anything beyond standard stock shapes, the need for secondary machining and operations can be quite costly. As a result, we are seeing more and more demand for heavy plastics to replace metal parts. 3D printing technologies have really catalysed this push as they help eliminate the need for tooling and allow for cost-effective prototyping.

Why Heavy Plastics?

3D Printing and the development of engineered thermoplastics are helping manufacturers replace metals with heavy plastics in a wide range of industry. Apart from being a high-performance option, thermoplastic composite materials also tend to offer longer lasting solutions and a higher quality when compared to metals. Perhaps most importantly, they utilize an incredibly efficient production process: injection molding, which allows for high volume production while eliminating the need for secondary operations.Additionally, the technology behind these heavy plastics is constantly improving and with new flame retardant, impact modified, or UV stabilized grades, the potential applications for these materials is constantly growing.

A Case Study: The Volvo Truck Engine

The first thing that needed in Volvo truck engines is efficiency and toughness.By using thermoplastic composite materials in as many as 30 tool applications, Volvo trucks have managed to reduce tool turn around times by as much as 94%. According to reports from Lyon, the facility has reduced the design and manufacture time from 36 days to a mere 2 days ever since it switched from traditional manufacturing methods that used metal. This has worked wonders in improving the efficiency and flexibility of the plant, allowing it to reduce costs and meet delivery times. In fact, some reports also suggest that in cases where small quantities of tools are needed, 3D printed thermoplastics cost as little as $1.13 / 0.6 cubic inches compared to $113, the cost of producing the same item using metal.

According to Pierre Jenny, the manufacturing director at the engine production facility, 3D printed thermoplastics have made it possible to produce an unlimited range of tools within a very short period of time and this directly relates to an improved production workf low. Some of the production tools that have already seen the introduction of thermoplastic composite materials include jigs, tool holders, light weight clamps and supports. Jean-Marc Robin, the technical manager at Volvo trucks, also confirmed that every piece of the 3D printed thermoplastic used by the company has proven to be “100% fit-for-purpose”. Robin also mentioned that the cost-effective, efficient and fast methods meant that the company was far less restricted than it was 6 months ago and that it was also enjoying the freedom to constantly improve processes.

What About Thermoplastics for My Own Applications?

Thermoplastic composite materials can be used in all kinds of applications. It makes the most of different types of filaments which are used for deposition modelling. The choice of filament determines the color, and it can also be made to look transparent or glow in the dark. Variations in the quality offers endless possibilities when it comes to 3D printed thermoplastics and countless ways to enhance the attractiveness of your product. In other words, thermoplastic composite materials and 3D printing technologies are surely making a foray into your industry with countless potential applications, if they haven’t already!