I think everyone now knows that the European Union has passed a Reduction of Hazardous Substances directive, that lists some things that are not any longer permitted to be in manufactured products (except car batteries, and maybe some other special-interest items).

It is probably the banning of lead that is causing the most problems, with the much lower reliability of electronics. There is an article about that, and a review of it, on Knol. To see it, go to Google, and type Knol into the Google search-window. That will give you Google's new on-line encyclopedia, Knol. Once at Knol, type Tin Whiskers in the Knol search-window, and that will give you an article about the disastrous consequneces of removing lead from the formerly solder-plated connections of electronic components.

Now, here's the new question. I have recently been told by a friend in Sweden that a large manufacturer of procelain bathroom fixtures has seen their formerly white porcelain toilets turning grey in the under-water part, since they began making their porcelain-glazed fixtures with no lead in the white-porceain glaze.

Has anyone else heard of this, or seen it?

Well I for one am excited.. *rushing* to google it now!!