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MICROSCRAPPINGE-waste field guide

☠ Lead — dust more than fume

serious

Where you meet it: All pre-2006 solder · leaded glass · old plating and some old solders

What you need to know

Hot work vaporises flux, not much lead — lead's vapour pressure is low at soldering temperatures. The real exposure route is lead-bearing dust and residue on hands, tools and clothes, ingested hand-to-mouth.
OSHA lead limit: 50 µg/m³ over 8 hours; action level 30 µg/m³.
Rosin flux fume is itself a documented occupational asthma sensitiser, independent of the lead.
Use local exhaust at the source — a fume extractor arm within a few inches of the work, not a fan blowing across your face — or work outdoors and upwind.
No food, drink, vaping or smoking in the work area. Wash hands and face before any of those.
Keep work clothes out of the house and out of the family laundry. Take-home lead poisons children.
If you do high-volume hot work, get periodic blood lead level testing.

The rule: NEVER dry sweep or use compressed air on a scrapping bench. HEPA-vac or wet-wipe only.

Components this applies to

Ceramic IC — gold lid + gold legs ICs & chips · $500–650/lb Au 3–8 g/lb wholeAg 0.5–3 g/lbBase Kovar S Gold flat packs (military / aerospace) ICs & chips · $400–900/lb Au 3–10 g/lbAg 1–4 g/lb S MLCC — palladium-bearing (PME, pre-2000) Capacitors · $100–170/lb Pd 2.3–9 g/lbAg 4.5–23 g/lbBase Ni S Pogo Pins & Spring-Loaded Test Probes Contacts & relays · $200–500/lb Au 1.4–3.0 g/lbCu ~330 g/lbBase steel springs S Silver-Graphite Brushes & Slip Rings Contacts & relays · $150–400/lb Ag 40–95% by weightCu pigtail + commutator segmentsBase electrographite S Sterling & Silver-Plated Flatware Other · $700–2000/lb Ag 92.5% ≈ 420 g/lb sterlingAg hollow-handle knives: only 8–20 g per pieceAg silver plate: ~0.1–0.5 g per teaspoon S Thick-Film Hybrid Microcircuits ICs & chips · $15–90/lb Au 1.5–4 g/lb packaged; 5–10 g/lb stripped substratesAg 0–15 g/lb on Ag/Pd conductor variantsPd present in Ag/Pd pastes S Aerospace Connectors & Backshells Contacts & relays · $25–70/lb Au 0.3–0.8 g/lb complete; ~3.6 g/lb de-populated contactsCu ~80 g/lbBase Backshells: ~0 g Au/lb A BGA with gold tab / gold-corner BGA ICs & chips · $60–110/lb Au 1.0–2.0 g/lbAg 0.3–1 g/lb A Cell phone boards Boards · $25–40/lb Au 0.09–0.50 g/lbAg 0.23–1.26 g/lbPd 0.025–0.07 g/lbCu 12–56% A Ceramic BGA / CCGA ICs & chips · $120–250/lb Au 1–3 g/lbAg 0.5–2 g/lbBase alumina A Ceramic IC — gold legs OR gold lid (not both) ICs & chips · $200–400/lb Au 1.0–2.5 g/lbAg 0.5–2 g/lb A Gold-plated connectors Connectors & pins · $113–136/lb Au 0.3–1.0 g/lb wholeBase brass A Gold-plated pins Connectors & pins · $180–280/lb Au 0.7–1.5 g/lb mixedBase brass A IC Test, Burn-In & ZIF Sockets Contacts & relays · $15–60/lb Au 0.5–2 g/lb complete; 3–8 g/lb de-populated contactsCu ~60 g/lbPd Pd-Ni with gold flash on high-cycle sockets A Telecom / military boards Boards · $11–35/lb Au 0.3–4 g/lbAg 1–8 g/lbPd 0.02–0.3 g/lbCu 15–25% A Telecom backplanes Boards · $10–18/lb Au 1–3 g/lb wholeAg 0.5–2 g/lbCu 20–30% A Card sockets — PCMCIA, CF, SD, SIM Contacts & relays · $60–250/lb Au 0.8–2.5 g/lbCu ~150 g/lb B Gold-plated hermetic transistors (TO-3/TO-5/TO-18) RF, power & vintage · $40–120/lb Au 0.5–2 g/lbBase Kovar B Gold-plated SMD (SAW filters, RF modules, shields) ICs & chips · $40–90/lb Au 0.5–1.5 g/lbAg 0.2–1 g/lb B IBM Multi-Chip / Thermal Conduction Modules Processors · $36–115/lb Au 1–5 g per module ≈ 0.3–0.7 g/lbCu ~48 g/lbBase Mo internal wiring B Laptop motherboards Boards · $10–18/lb Au 0.20–0.50 g/lbAg 1–3 g/lbPd 0.02–0.08 g/lbCu 15–25% B Machined-pin DIP sockets (gold barrel) Contacts & relays · $120–300/lb Au 1.0–2.4 g/lbCu ~250 g/lb B Plastic ICs — pre-2010 (gold bond wire) ICs & chips · $25–45/lb Au 0.5–0.7 g/lbAg 0.2–1 g/lbPd trace–0.1 g/lb B Server motherboards Boards · $9–16/lb Au 0.05–0.3 g/lbAg 1–3 g/lbPd 0.02–0.10 g/lbCu 15–25% B Wire-wrap / pin boards Boards · $20–35/lb Au 0.6–1.5 g/lbAg 0.5–2 g/lbCu 20–30% B X-Ray Film & Spent Fixer Other · $1–4/lb Ag 0.07–0.10 ozt/lb (2.2–3.1 g/lb) medical filmAg 0.15–0.25 ozt/lb industrial NDT filmAg 1–6 g/L in spent fixer B ABS, transmission & body control modules Automotive · $3–8/lb Au 0.010–0.030 g per moduleAg 0.2–1.5 g in BCM relay contactsCu 40–120 g in the ABS pump motorBase 1.5–3 lb aluminium hydraulic block C Airbag control module (ACM/SDM/RCM) Automotive · $2–6/lb Au 0.010–0.030 g per unitAg 0.05–0.2 g per unit C Arcade PCBs / JAMMA Boards Boards · $30–800/lb Au 0.05–0.20 g per board ≈ 0.09 g/lbCu ~45 g/lbAu ceramic gold-lid customs (FD1094 C Card-Edge Receptacles & Sockets Contacts & relays · $20–60/lb Au 0.15–0.50 g/lb for genuine gold-contact socketsCu ~130 g/lbBase 55–70% PBT/LCP/nylon C Ceramic disc capacitors Capacitors · $20–70/lb Ag 4–10 g/lbPd 0.05–0.3 g/lb C Crystal oscillators & OCXO modules ICs & chips · $15–40/lb Au 0.1–0.5 g/lb (modules)Ag 0.5–3 g/lb C DC-DC converter bricks & isolation modules Other · $40–400/lb Au 0.08–0.3 g/lbAg 1–4 g/lbCu ~90 g/lb C Desktop motherboards Boards · $5–12/lb Au 0.02–0.15 g/lbAg 0.6–2 g/lbPd 0.01–0.05 g/lbCu 15–20% C DIP, Rotary & BCD Switches Contacts & relays · $10–30/lb Au 0.20–0.40 g/lb (DIP); 0.10–0.25 g/lb (rotary)Ag 1.0–2.5 g/lbBase 60–75% plastic/phenolic C ECU / engine control module Automotive · $3–8/lb Au 0.11 g/lb of bare boardAg 0.45 g/lbPd 0.05 g/lbCu ~20% of board mass C Industrial Control Boards (PLC/DCS/SCADA) Boards · $3–12/lb Au 0.05–0.20 g/lb typical I/O; 0.25–0.60 g/lb CPU and backplanes; 0.6–1.5 g/lb 1970s–80s ceramic-DIP DCSAg 1–8 g per relay moduleCu ~113 g/lb C Metal oxide varistors (MOVs) Other · $15–40/lb Ag 6–14 g/lb C MLCC — modern nickel (BME, post-2005) Capacitors · $20–55/lb Pd 0.2–0.7 g/lbAg 1.4–2.7 g/lbBase Ni 5–20% C Peripheral & network cards Boards · $8–15/lb Au 0.20–0.50 g/lbAg 0.5–1.5 g/lbCu 15–25% C Silver mica capacitors Capacitors · $80–500/lb Ag 10–20 g/lbCu ~60 g/lb C Solar cells & panels Other · $8–25/lb Ag 3–8 g/lb of bare cellsBase 2–3 kg aluminium frame C Thick-film resistor networks (SIP/DIP) ICs & chips · $15–50/lb Ag 2–5 g/lbPd 0.2–0.7 g/lb C Bridge rectifiers and power diodes Other · $20–80/lb Cu 140–240 g/lbAg 0.5–2 g/lbAu ~0.02 g/lb D Carbon and metal film resistors Other · $8–25/lb Cu ~15 g/lb D Ceramic HRC fuses (and glass fuses) Other · $25–80/lb Ag 1–3 g/lbCu ~90 g/lb D Chip antennas (LTCC ceramic) RF, power & vintage · $20–120/lb Ag 6–18 g/lb D Clip-on and bolt-on board heatsinks Other · $5–25/lb Cu 0–450 g/lb D Console Game Cartridges Boards · $10–150/lb Au 0.003–0.015 g per cartridge ≈ 0.04 g/lb wholeAu 0.6–0.9 g/lb of trimmed fingersCu negligible D CRT flyback transformers & deflection yokes ☠ RF, power & vintage · $0.5–1.5/lb Cu 150–400 g per yokeBase ferrite core D EMI shield cans and fences Other · $3–10/lb Cu 150–290 g/lb D Film capacitors (polyester / polypropylene) Capacitors · $10–40/lb Cu ~20 g/lb D LCD Panels (ITO / CCFL vs LED) Other · $0–8/lb Base Indium ~0.4–0.8 g/m² of ITO layerAu 0.01–0.08 g per panel in COF tape bumpsCu ~17 g/lb D LEDs (through-hole and power SMD) Other · $20–90/lb Au 0.02–0.08 g/lbAg 2–7 g/lbCu ~100 g/lb D Low-grade boards (PSU, TV, modem, appliance) Boards · $2–4/lb Au 0.005–0.05 g/lbAg 0.2–0.8 g/lbCu 8–15% D Optical Drives & Laser Pickups Drives & media · $3–60/lb Au 0.01–0.03 g per drive ≈ 0.011 g/lbCu ~16 g/lbBase Al 200–400 g D Optocouplers / optoisolators ICs & chips · $40–200/lb Au 0.1–0.35 g/lbAg 2–5 g/lbCu ~120 g/lb D Photomultiplier Tubes (PMTs) Other · $150–900/lb Ag 0.1–2 g per tubeAu 0–20 mg per tubeBase BeCu dynodes with an activated BeO surface D Platinum RTD Probes (Pt100/Pt1000) Other · $45–200/lb Pt ~30–80 mg per lb of complete probesBase 0.9–0.99 lb/lb 316SS or Inconel sheathPt SPRT: 15–30 g per unit D RJ45 Jacks with Integrated Magnetics Contacts & relays · $8–20/lb Au 0.02–0.07 g/lbCu ~57 g/lbBase ferrite D Set-top / cable boxes Boards · $1–3/lb Au 0.03–0.10 g/lbAg 0.3–1 g/lbCu 10–15% D Tactile switches and metal dome contacts Contacts & relays · $20–70/lb Au 0.05–0.4 g/lbAg 1–3 g/lbCu ~60 g/lb D Terminal blocks and screw terminals Contacts & relays · $15–50/lb Cu 110–200 g/lb D Thermal Printheads Other · $200–900/lb Au 0.002–0.02 g per head ≈ 0.06 g/lbBase Ru as RuO2 glazeBase alumina substrate + Al heatsink bar D Thermistors (NTC/PTC) and piezo elements Other · $20–70/lb Ag 2–5 g/lb D Transformers, inductors, chokes & toroids Other · $15–60/lb Cu 100–220 g/lb D Trimmer Potentiometers (Cermet) Contacts & relays · $5–15/lb Au <0.15 g/lbBase Ru ~0.05–0.20 mg per unitPd <0.5 mg per unit D USB, HDMI, DisplayPort, RJ45 & audio jacks Contacts & relays · $15–60/lb Au 0.1–0.5 g/lbCu ~80 g/lb D Vintage Home Computers & Boards Boards · $80–350/lb Au 0.05–0.20 g per C64 board; 0.1–0.4 g per Apple II boardAu gold-lid ceramic DIPs at $150–400/lbCu ~40 g/lb D

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