Threat From Eu Rohs Legislation

[ick1508]

Hi everyone.

I've just received an e-mail from Philip Bradbourn MEP.

DR Caroline Jackson MEP (mentioned above) seems to be leading the issue.

Here is an extract from his email:

 

I attach for your information the documentation sent to me by the Commission. Reacting to concerns within the industry and the public in general, they have now said that they are going to collaborate with Member States to clarify the position of organ builders within the RoHS Directive. They emphasise the fact that an exemption from the Directive can be applied for by the industry, should it be found that they do lie within the scope of the Directive. This is another ludicrous example of the Commission creating red tape when they should be cutting it.

 

Dr Jackson has sent a letter to Alan Johnson MP, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to seek further clarification of whether these directives will, in fact, affect church organs when they are implemented in the UK. In the event that they should be included within the scope of the directives, she has asked him to ensure that the British government applies for an exemption so that organ pipe manufacturers may continue to build traditional pipe organs with lead pipes.

Yours sincerely,

Philip Bradbourn OBE MEP

 

The European Commission's viewpoint (this seems to be a letter to Caroline Jackson) is:

 

Following my earlier e-mail, I would like to report further on the issue of pipe organs. As I said, the European Commission has taken very seriously the concerns expressed by both the industry and the general public with regards to this sensitive issue.

Therefore we have decided to take urgent action to address your concerns.

Yesterday the Commission has written to the Member States, with a view to clarifying, together with them, to what extent pipe organs fall within the scope of the RoHS Directive. Once we know the outcome the Commission will issue a statement and update its Guidance Document accordingly.

I will of course keep you fully informed of any development in this matter.

In the meantime, I would like to emphasize that, in any event, since the law applies to new products only, existing organs are untouched by the Directive and major repairs even with lead may still continue.

Equally, even if it is found in the final analysis that pipe organs fall within the scope of the Directive, manufacturers can still apply for an exemption.

 

Yours sincerely

Reijo Kemppinen

 

Hope this is slightly reassuring and helps everybody.

Best wishes

Ian Campbell-Kelly

[MusingMuso]

Hi everyone.

I've just received an e-mail from Philip Bradbourn MEP.

DR Caroline Jackson MEP (mentioned above) seems to be leading the issue.

Here is an extract from his email:

 

I attach for your information the documentation sent to me by the Commission. Reacting to concerns within the industry and the public in general, they have now said that they are going to collaborate with Member States to clarify the position of organ builders within the RoHS Directive. They emphasise the fact that an exemption from the Directive can be applied for by the industry, should it be found that they do lie within the scope of the Directive. This is another ludicrous example of the Commission creating red tape when they should be cutting it.

 

Dr Jackson has sent a letter to Alan Johnson MP, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to seek further clarification of whether these directives will, in fact, affect church organs when they are implemented in the UK. In the event that they should be included within the scope of the directives, she has asked him to ensure that the British government applies for an exemption so that organ pipe manufacturers may continue to build traditional pipe organs with lead pipes.

Yours sincerely,

Philip Bradbourn OBE MEP

 

The European Commission's viewpoint (this seems to be a letter to Caroline Jackson) is:

 

Following my earlier e-mail, I would like to report further on the issue of pipe organs.  As I said, the European Commission has taken very seriously the concerns expressed by both the industry and the general public with regards to this sensitive issue.

Therefore we have decided to take urgent action to address your concerns.

Yesterday the Commission has written to the Member States, with a view to clarifying, together with them, to what extent pipe organs fall within the scope of the RoHS Directive. Once we know the outcome the Commission will issue a statement and update its Guidance Document accordingly.

I will of course keep you fully informed of any development in this matter. 

In the meantime, I would like to emphasize that, in any event, since the law applies to new products only, existing organs are untouched by the Directive and major repairs even with lead may still continue.

Equally, even if it is found in the final analysis that pipe organs fall within the scope of the Directive, manufacturers can still apply for an exemption.

 

Yours sincerely

Reijo Kemppinen

 

Hope this is slightly reassuring and helps everybody.

Best wishes

Ian Campbell-Kelly

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

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Once again, we get "re-assurances" which really are window-dressed repeats of what has been said before.

 

The word we are looking for is DEROGATION; rather than expecting organ-builders to "apply for an exemption."

 

The reason is simple. If an exemption has to be applied for, then NEW organs are seen as coming within the scope of the directives (RoHS and WEEE), and exemption has only a limited time-span, designed to grant time so that an alternative to the use of the offending material(s) may be found by the industry concerned.

 

So in effect, there falls upon the shoulders of a very few organ-builders the red-tape of the exemption process, with the expectation that they would presumably find an alternative to lead in the future.

 

DEROGATION has to be decided by politicians within the EU and the member states, which means extra-work on the one hand, and the possibility that they might have to admit to their mistakes on the other.

 

I eagerly atnicipate the moment when just one politician actually demonstrates that they understand the difference between DEROGATION. and passing the buck to organ-builders in the form of exemption applications.

 

The polticians were told of this problem years ago, and it is THEY who have screwed up in drafting poor legislation.

 

Perhaps what we need is a French-style protest, with pots of molten-lead being poured from the gargoyles of Worcester Cathedral!

 

 

MM

[ick1508]

Today's copy of the RSCM house rag says it's all over bar the shouting (or the playing of some loud Bach )

But the pipes4organs.org website diary says 'not quite'

Apparently there's a meeting "in the 3rd week of June", presumably to kick the Commission about a bit

 

What would these Europeans do without folks like John and Doug

 

If it all comes out right, it will have been a remarkably effective political campaign

 

With the support of Lords, no less!

[pcnd5584]

Today's copy of the RSCM house rag says it's all over bar the shouting (or the playing of some loud Bach )

But the pipes4organs.org website diary says 'not quite'

Apparently there's a meeting "in the 3rd week of June", presumably to kick the Commission about a bit

 

What would these Europeans do without folks like John and Doug

 

If it all comes out right, it will have been a remarkably effective political campaign

 

With the support of Lords, no less!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

So, is the Fat Lady going to start singing anytime soon?

 

Better still, can we get John Prescott included in the ban?

[MusingMuso]

Better still, can we get John Prescott included in the ban?

 

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=================

 

Almost certainly, since he's proved that there's lead in his organ!

 

 

MM

[Guest Nigel ALLCOAT]

I believe that the new organ for St John's College Oxford (installed in September 2007) will be hand pumped but with provision for blower in the future if things are not finalized! There is always a solution to show up the silliness of it all - albeit not so practical. But if you have 2 Organ Scholars, one will play and the other pump. No problem at all.

However, I think that there will be no candelabra to complete the ensemble!

 

Best wishes with fingers crossed,

NJA

[pcnd5584]

=================

 

Almost certainly, since he's proved that there's lead in his organ!

 

 

MM

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Tee hee!

 

Really, it is quite dreadful - a couple of screws in the wrong place and the entire Cabinet falls apart.

 

Incidentally, I assume that the lady in question was registerd blind....

 

[pcnd5584]

I believe that the new organ for St John's College Oxford (installed in September 2007) will be hand pumped but with provision for blower in the future if things are not finalized! There is always a solution to show up the silliness of it all - albeit not so practical. But if you have 2 Organ Scholars, one will play and the other pump. No problem at all.

However, I think that there will be no candelabra to complete the ensemble!

 

Best wishes with fingers crossed,

NJA

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It is having a new organ?

 

No doubt the old one will be unceremoniously thrown on the scrap-heap, like so many instruments these days - and replaced with something Swiss with lots of shiny wood and twelve stops spread over six claviers.

 

[Vox Humana]

No doubt the old one will be unceremoniously thrown on the scrap-heap

Ooh, you do have a way with words, don't you? I hope you mean it will be unceremoniously recycled.

[pcnd5584]

Ooh, you do have a way with words, don't you? I hope you mean it will be unceremoniously recycled. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I wish. However, I am more of a realist than this and I suspect that it will go the way of much other perfectly serviceable British pipe-work which has disappeared from our instruments over the years.

 

Incidentally, does anyone know what happened to the various ranks that were thrown out at Gloucester in 1970-71? Whilst I really like this instrument (as many will no doubt be aware), I am conscious of the fact that a not inconsiderable number of the old ranks did not find their way into the re-designed organ.

 

Hello, VH, by the way....

 

[Vox Humana]

Et bonjour, m'sieur. Surely you are not suggesting that it will go to (whisper it ever so quietly) landfill?

[pcnd5584]

Et bonjour, m'sieur.    Surely you are not suggesting that it will go to (whisper it ever so quietly) landfill?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Moi?!

 

Ma non, m'sieur.

 

[Guest Nigel ALLCOAT]

No doubt the old one will be unceremoniously thrown on the scrap-heap, like so many instruments these days -

 

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In fact the better pipework (to my present knowledge) will be reused in more appropriate buildings and instruments by two builders of renown plus anything else that is deemed to be of use.

NJA

[Nick Bennett]

It is having a new organ?

 

No doubt the old one will be unceremoniously thrown on the scrap-heap, like so many instruments these days - and replaced with something Swiss with lots of shiny wood and twelve stops spread over six claviers.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Don't forget the half-draw stops.