Question about Newark's lead pipe replacement (Raritan: contractors, cost of, manufactured)

[coldblooded36]

I just read that the infrastructure bill has 2.9 billion designated for replacement of Lead pipes. Ive found lead pipe on the curb before and know the scrapyards pay well for it. Obviously there's some type of market for Lead still, even with the paint and pipe phaseout. The article says Newark is almost done with theirs, does anyone know what's to become of all that Lead?

[Swamp_Yankee]

Originally Posted by coldblooded36

I just read that the infrastructure bill has 2.9 billion designated for replacement of Lead pipes. Ive found lead pipe on the curb before and know the scrapyards pay well for it. Obviously there's some type of market for Lead still, even with the paint and pipe phaseout. The article says Newark is almost done with theirs, does anyone know what's to become of all that Lead?

You could submit an OPRA request if you really want to know, but the service line replacement is almost certainly being conducted by private contractors hired by the city or the water utility (I don't know if they are standalone organizations or not) and the contractor's bid accounted for the projected salvage value of all of the lead pipe that will be pulled out of the ground and sold for scrap. I once oversaw the demolition of an abandoned brownfield property and the contractor's bids all specified that all salvageable metals, etc...became property of the contractor and itemized the projected scrap value which was then deducted from the cost of the demolition work itself. This was for a site with large steel framed buildings, abandoned machinery, a water tower, rail sidings, etc... Of course the popular assumption would be that the project is being mismanaged by a bunch of inept bureaucrats who don't know the value of the material While its true that lead is being phased of out many manufactured goods from waterfowl shot to fishing sinkers the majority of lead goes into lead-acid batteries, which despite the proliferation of lithium-ion batteries still are very widely used in the automotive market alone.

[Kracer]

Originally Posted by Swamp_Yankee

You could submit an OPRA request if you really want to know, but the service line replacement is almost certainly being conducted by private contractors hired by the city or the water utility (I don't know if they are standalone organizations or not) and the contractor's bid accounted for the projected salvage value of all of the lead pipe that will be pulled out of the ground and sold for scrap. I once oversaw the demolition of an abandoned brownfield property and the contractor's bids all specified that all salvageable metals, etc...became property of the contractor and itemized the projected scrap value which was then deducted from the cost of the demolition work itself. This was for a site with large steel framed buildings, abandoned machinery, a water tower, rail sidings, etc... Of course the popular assumption would be that the project is being mismanaged by a bunch of inept bureaucrats who don't know the value of the material While its true that lead is being phased of out many manufactured goods from waterfowl shot to fishing sinkers the majority of lead goes into lead-acid batteries, which despite the proliferation of lithium-ion batteries still are very widely used in the automotive market alone.

Lead shot for wildfowl hunting has been banned since early 1980s by the feds

Raritan bay is a source of environmental lead, via former national lead facility....that bare area right next to the parkway bridge on the southern shore,,,,,, some of the inlets like morgan creek/cheesequake creek were fortified with scrap lead which today leaches into the environment and up the food chain.

Water pipes made of lead, go back to Roman times and when Newark was the crown jewel of NJ and place of residence for the wealthy, lead was of course used.

Once the lead pipes are replaced then pharmaceuticals, emerging pollutants, microplastics, arsenic, PFOS, PFOA and other contaminants in the drinking water need to be addressed.

Lead pipes are the beginning, not the end, in the pursuit of public health.

LEAD is the most recycled product in the US. Most of it goes to Asian countries.

headline, recycled lead market to top 19 Billion by 2026!!!!!

'The growth of recycled lead market is being fueled by rapidly dwindling lead ore resources and the hazardous effects associated with lead mining. Increasing government-sponsored measures to promote the reuse of lead acid batteries and lower the production of lead scrap would further bolster industry expansion, says the report.'

Huh, dwindling supply of lead ore....

As stated in previous post, be assured the profit from the lead pipes is covered in contracts.

[midnight_thunder]

Originally Posted by Swamp_Yankee

You could submit an OPRA request if you really want to know, but the service line replacement is almost certainly being conducted by private contractors hired by the city or the water utility (I don't know if they are standalone organizations or not) and the contractor's bid accounted for the projected salvage value of all of the lead pipe that will be pulled out of the ground and sold for scrap. I once oversaw the demolition of an abandoned brownfield property and the contractor's bids all specified that all salvageable metals, etc...became property of the contractor and itemized the projected scrap value which was then deducted from the cost of the demolition work itself. This was for a site with large steel framed buildings, abandoned machinery, a water tower, rail sidings, etc... Of course the popular assumption would be that the project is being mismanaged by a bunch of inept bureaucrats who don't know the value of the material While its true that lead is being phased of out many manufactured goods from waterfowl shot to fishing sinkers the majority of lead goes into lead-acid batteries, which despite the proliferation of lithium-ion batteries still are very widely used in the automotive market alone.

You might be able to avoid the OPRA request altogether if you can track down Newark's bid proposal specifications. The specs may say that contractor can keep the scrap metal, or it may need to be retained by Newark for some other purpose. The specs will give you the answer.