Lead, the chemical battle over musical organs breaks out in Brussels – Corriere.it

In these weeks theItalian Association of Organ Builders (Aio), the German Bund Deutscher Orgelbaumeister (Bdo), with theInternational society of organ builders (ISO) are joining forces to prevent the EU Commission from limiting the use of lead in the work of pipe organ builders and restorers. On 12 April, the European Chemicals Agency (Echa) recommended that the Commission add eight substances, including lead, to the Reach authorization list: once the substances are added to the list, companies will have to apply permission to continue using them.

Echa’s opinion is based on a study on the socio-economic impact, also the result of a consultation with stakeholders, and on a scientific analysis of the consequences on human health. The Commission will draw up a proposal which will be discussed with the Reach Committee, which is made up of technicians from the Member States. For Italy he sits Luigia Scimonelli of the Ministry of Health. European organ builders are worried. Michela Ruffatti, president of AIOexplains that if a special authorization is needed to work lead, a fundamental and irreplaceable element for the construction of rods, with the bureaucratic troubles that this will bring to the small and micro businesses that use it, the danger that this type of processing will disappear will become very high. Not to mention the greater difficulty that there will be for all European companies to find lead ingots, given that its exit from the market will create major supply difficulties.

In Italy there are about 55 organ builders and maintenance firms. In Europe there are around 300 in total, a niche production with very high added value. A few years ago this problem had already been addressed – he continues – with the RoHS directive but in that case the appeal of the organ builders had been heard and we had been excluded. The problem is that the easily deformed lead-tin alloy cannot be replaced by any other metal. Ruffatti also points out that the restoration of the ancient organs present in our churches is at risk: there are at least 18,000 instruments of great historical importance and protected by the Superintendencies. The organ builders’ associations exclude health and environmental risks, neither the musician nor the listener has any direct contact with lead and the builders use protections.