current status of WWs and ?

[1stSkink]

Is the ban on Pb WWs suppose to take effect this year or next?

Also, re the recycling of WW, I was wondering, the junkyards probably are not seperating out the Zn ones, right. Are these (the Zn ones) getting mixed in and made into WWs that we think are PB alloy? Any thoughts on this?

I have notice that of late, a few of the WWs that I tested with dikes were quite a bit harder than others.

skink

[mpmarty]

I doubt that the used wws are getting recast as wheel weights. Battery production seems to be soaking up all the lead around. I'm not surprised I just bought a new battery for my car. WOW! nearly a hundred bucks.

[462]

1stSkink,

The ban went into effect, in California, the first of the year. Lead weights that are in a shops current inventory are to be returned to the supplier for credit.

Interstate battery company has been buying all the used weights they can get. They broker the lead to the highest bidder, then buy the smelted lead, at the lowest price, for their factory. Supposedly it reduces their cost, probably by not having to operate a smelter.

[leadman]

I spoke with a metal recycler that melts lead for sale to China & India. He buys all the lead he can get, including wheelweights and melts it, sends it overseas.
I have purchased wheelweights several time in the last 6 months from scrap metal yards and yes, zinc, iron, lead wheelweights are all in the same container, along with just about every other form of lead made.
I am sure China, who supplies us with most of the wheelweights does not care what is in the mix, as long as it is heavy.

Has anyone ever weighed a wheel weight to see if it matched the cast in weight??

tHe metal recycler also said more arsenic is used now to harden lead as it is much cheaper than antimony.

I went to 15 tire shops the other day and ended up with about 5 pounds of lead. I offered to pay up to $40 a 5 gallon bucket. I did have a couple shops that said they would call me when they had weights for me.

[jr545]

Here the recycle centers lump it all together so if you purchase a bucket of ww you are also paying for the zinc/ steel and the prices are out of sight.
There are a couple guys selling smelted lead on a local swap & trade board for a $1 a pound. I reluctantly thought about doing some business with them until I inquired about their methods for smelting. I was told they just heated the pot until everything melted and skimmed off the clips. I'll keep looking....

[Oldtimer]

I actually had a guy tell me he had started to recycle his weights, as in, re-use them. He said the price of new ones had gone up so much, he had decided to try and re-use the old ones. Not sure if he had figgured in the labor cost of trying to sort through them or not. I used to get a 5 gal bucket from him every couple of weeks. Sure do miss it too, cause the were free, cept for a box of donuts now and then.

[KY_Camper]

[QUOTE=Oldtimer;804123]I actually had a guy tell me he had started to recycle his weights, as in, re-use them.QUOTE]

One of the shops around here does the same thing. In the last three years I have only been able to get 1/2 a five gallon bucket full. There are a LOT of people around here collecting wheel weights.

[odoh]

Whenever I take aluminum cans in for redemption, I ask about Lead. Kind of scarce but occasionally I get a few. Last week however, I bought 94#s of virgin (new/unused) WWs @ 10¢ a lb. Looks like some shop got stuck w/stock on hand. That was followed by a $1200 root canal where the doc gave me 17#s of XRay lead. I take what I can find and where I find it.

[ironcowboy]

Is the ban on Pb WWs suppose to take effect this year or next?

Also, re the recycling of WW, I was wondering, the junkyards probably are not seperating out the Zn ones, right. Are these (the Zn ones) getting mixed in and made into WWs that we think are PB alloy? Any thoughts on this?

I have notice that of late, a few of the WWs that I tested with dikes were quite a bit harder than others.

skink

So as of next year all wheal weights will no longer be lead?? If thats true this really sucks!!!

[rwt101]

I had one shop tell me that the co that they buy the wheel weights from buys the old ones back. Also one shop keeps them and reuses them.

I have no place to get any around my area.
Bob T

[fredj338]

So as of next year all wheal weights will no longer be lead?? If thats true this really sucks!!!

No, just certain states. Kalif. is this year, I believe sevral western states like Washington & Oregon are nex in 2011. Several states back east are or will be by 2012. The writing is on the wall. If the EPA gets ramped up under PBO, we could see a Euro style ban nationwide (gone from there since 2003-04). Get what you can while you can, or you are going to have to pay for alloy. For me, if I have to pay much more than $1/# for alloy, I am not casting.

[penguinchicken]

Just paid $18 for a #50 bucket in Wash. Half the damn things are steel.