NRA-ILA
Doe Run made significant efforts to reduce lead emissions from the smelter, but in 2008 the federal Environmental Protection Agency issued new National Ambient Air Quality Standards for lead that were 10 times tighter than the previous standard. Given the new lead air quality standard, Doe Run made the decision to close the Herculaneum smelter.
Whatever the EPA's motivation when creating the new lead air quality standard, increasingly restrictive regulation of lead is likely to affect the production and ct of traditional ammunition. Just this month, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a bill that will ban lead ammunition for all hunting in California. The Center for Biological Diversity has tried multiple times to get similar regulations at the federal level by trying, and repeatedly failing, to get the EPA to regulate conventional ammunition under the Toxic Substances Control Act.
At this time, it's unclear if Doe Run or another company will open a new lead smelter in the United States that can meet the more stringent lead air quality standards by using more modern smelting methods. What is clear is that after the Herculaneum smelter closes its doors in December, entirely domestic manufacture of conventional ammunition, from raw ore to finished cartridge, will be impossible.
Gun-rights fanatics and Obama haters like Allen West see this as a conspiracy against gun owners. Being completely self-absorbed, they see the EPA decision only as it affects them. They think it really has nothing to do with air pollution or the dangers of lead in the environment and only about "back door gun control." The fact that many industries use lead other than the ammo makers doesn't phase them. It's all about their rights, you see.
" Pure lead like that produced from Doe Run’s primary smelter is used for sensitive “specialty” products (certain electronics, medical devices, etc), not ammunition. Lead for ammunition comes almost exclusively from recycled lead, the bulk of which comes from recycled batteries."
ReplyDelete"Ammunition makes up just 3% of U.S. lead usage, and what is interesting about the entire lead market is that many companies who manufacture products that use lead are—where they can—trying to find lead substitutes, or are producing products in such a way as to reduce the amount of lead they are using because of the associated headaches (both regulatory and public relations-related). There are some ammunition industry experts that suggest that if this trend continues, the recycled lead used for ammunition might actually decrease in price, through with the potential for rising prices in other ammunition components (brass, copper, powder, primers, etc), that might not translate into cheaper ammunition."
http://bearingarms.com/no-the-doe-run-primary-smelter-closure-isnt-going-to-affect-ammo-prices-and-it-isnt-backdoor-gun-control/
You are correct, the loss of this smelter shouldn't effect ammunition production. The manufacturers will keep striving to meet the demand of an ever growing number of gun enthusiasts.
Could you elaborate a bit on that "you are correct" thing. Do you agree that Allen West is being ridiculous with his "back door gun control" nonsense? Do you think gun-rights folks who jump on this story are being either paranoid or dishonest? C'mon, flesh it our for us, man.
DeleteI do try to keep away from pejorative terms Mike. Wrong is wrong. There's a lot of extreme language on both sides of the issue. You and Laci like to use paranoid, loons, nuts,etc, and that seems to be ok. Someone else on the other side of the debate uses such language, and you say its ridiculous.
DeleteThat's not really fair. Greg calls us "freaks," which I happen to think is stronger than my favorite, "fanatics." I allow it without complaint.
DeleteMikeb, it's a play on the term, control freak, obviously. You love the idea of control.
DeleteMikeb, it's gun control freaks who see everything as related to guns. Your side will do anything you can to get rid of privately owned firearms, but we will stop you.
ReplyDeleteApparently it's your side who's doing that, Greg, at least in the case of this exaggerated bullshit story. The ammo makers will be the least affected by this among all the industry users of lead.
DeleteExcept as I said below, there's a large contingent of pro-gun people squashing what Allen West said. So you pretending everyone jumps when somebody yells "jump!" is the real piece of exaggeration going on here. Here's a piece from Emily Miller. And the NSSF has made a statement as well.
Deletehttp://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/dec/2/obamas-epa-smelter-closing-will-not-affect-ammunit/
Well, let's not forget that many of the white pro-gun folks cannot stand a guy like West.
DeleteOh, yes, let's not forget that Mikeb cries racism whenever he can.
DeleteYou chastise Allen West for fear mongering, and when I show you gun rights people who agree with you- they're racist? Unbelievable.
DeleteHilarious!
DeleteThese lying criminals worship at the feet of the commie counting West.
In the minds of some, the only way to avoid racism is to be a gun-control loving leftist.
DeleteWell, TS, you know what else is unbelievable? The number of headlines I read this morning about "back-door gun control."
DeleteHmm, there must be a whole heck of a lot of gun owners who aren't racists then.
DeleteEasy to see you two are not among the non-racist gun owners.
Delete"Well, let's not forget that many of the white pro-gun folks cannot stand a guy like West."
DeleteMike and Anon, my disapproval of the ATF Director has nothing to do with his race, but with his actions while performing his duties. Mike, how is throwing someone's race into this conversation germane to any of the comments?
In a country like the US, race is always germane.
DeleteSo follow what west says. Prove your bigotry.
DeleteYou pretend "gun-rights fanatics" are a monolithic entity, yet we see many on our side of the debate quelling fears of a lead shortage (like Sarge, Sebastian). We don't see this from your side so much. How many times have we seen a voice of reason on the gun control side say, "calm down, this is not a big deal" over the latest anti-gun freak-out?
ReplyDeleteYou've seen it right here a number of times.
DeleteI can think of what you said about suppressors, but off hand, not much else. Do you have other examples? Also, on suppressors, I have never seen anyone else from you side share that sentiment. In the case of the lead smelter closing, there are many sources challenging Allen West.
DeleteAre you saying I'm the MOST reasonable gun control guy you've ever come across?
DeleteThat ain't saying much, Mikeb.
DeleteYou're up there.
DeleteWow, I'm, I'm, I'm speechless.
DeleteKeep in mind what Greg said about it. I wouldn't take it as too much of a compliment.
DeleteConcerns about lead forced the paint industry to change and other industries also. The ammunition industry is no different. Paranoids will always claim it's an assault on only THEIR concerns.
ReplyDeleteLead is selected specifically for its properties as a projectile. It's soft, heavy, and cheap. In the case of gasoline and paint, lead is a byproduct and can be removed while the product performs as good or even better without it. For ammunition, it's not a byproduct- it IS the product.
DeleteSorry I don't swallow that bullets cannot be made of anything but lead.
DeleteAnon, when you use other metals, you start having to worry about violating laws concerning armor piercing ammunition.
DeleteBullets can be made of other substances, but those tend to be much more expensive or much less effective when we're talking about rifle or handgun rounds.
DeleteI didn't say that. What I said is that if you don't make a bullet out of lead, it's not going to act like a bullet made out of lead, and lead is specifically selected for its properties as a projectile. It serves as the core function, not just an additive like in paint or fuel.
DeleteOf course we are listening to the two proven lying criminals on this site. I take their comments for the lying shit they always promote.
Delete