5,000,000 tons of lead is used throughout the world per year. Of this, 270,000 tons is used in Japan, with 9,000 tons being used for soldering. As is common knowledge, moves are being made to regulate lead on a worldwide basis in terms of protecting the environment, and there is an urgent need to make soldering without using lead -in other words, "lead-free solder"-common practice.

Please refer to “Working Toward Lead-free Environment” here.