This bill, called Senate Bill 3874, was proposed by Senator Barbara Boxer, Chairman of the U.S. Commission on Environment and Public Works, and passed by Obama. This bill was enforced nationwide on January 4, 2014, so it means, all products made in the United States and imported into the United States will be subject to this bill, surely including the brass ball valves.
As we know, brass ball valves are mainly applied in drinking water. There are countless brass ball valve manufacturer mainly located in Yuhuan, Taizhou and Ningbo city of China, also in North America and EU countries. If they want to continue their business in the U.S market, could only follow the bill requirements of U.S government, obviously there possibly three options for their consideration:
1). Abandon all existing copper-zinc alloy, changed to lead-free copper, this is seamlessly satisfy the requirements of the bill but the only problem is the cost is very high; surely there is another option,
2). Replaced the existing brass ball valves with stainless steel valves, but it does not make sense to brass ball valve manufacturers, they could not change the whole blood; or,
3). Keep the valve body in lead-free copper and the valve-ball (may be other parts also) in stainless steel, stainless steel is also lead-free, green, eco-friendly, more important, the cost is almost 50% cheaper than the lead-free copper;
From point view of Zhenhong Valve Ball, it seems part of brass ball valve manufacturers chose the 1st option, and most manufacturers choose the 3rd option.
