Millions of small lead balls...what would you do with them?
by
Jeannette
+15
So, an inventor friend of ours passed away, he had ordered dozens of boxes of small lead balls from China, for something he was working on. ...the invention never came to be...my husband and I are helping his widow clear out her garage, and instead of throwing them away, I brought them home, because that's how I roll... (pun, get it, balls...roll....) anywho.....I was thinking of putting down landscape fabric, and using them instead of decorative rocks...in a raised planter, and nothing will be eaten from this planter, so I'm not worried about lead poisening...
I called a local shooting range, they aren't interested.
Can anyone think of what these could be used for?
I called a local shooting range, they aren't interested.
Can anyone think of what these could be used for?
13 answers
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Lead is highly poisonous to humans, there is no way I'd use it in the place of decorative rocks as when watering the plants, edible or not, it would contaminate the soil. Please call your local county extension office as ask how to dispose of it properly.
Z
on Sep 24, 2015
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I cant imagine why any one would buy these other then the obvious, If you choose to use these outside you will be poisoning the ground.Honestly I would put them up for sale on craigs list for the shooters to purchase.
Janet Pizaro
on Sep 24, 2015
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i would turn them in when your local town is collecting hazardous materials. What ever you do, do not allow small children to play with them or leave them around pets. They are extremely toxic to you, your family and all wildlife.
Sandie Roberts
on Sep 24, 2015
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I know that there is a renaissance fair in my area: some of the adults are passionate about re-creating and restoring guns and cannons from the 1600's and 1700's, and they use lead for casting. (I asked them about the poisonning from working with lead and they said that they know, and thank you very much. They must get asked that at every fair!) I know they would LOVE to have these! There must be a club in your area, or state, that would like to get these from you.
Solange Courteau d'Escandón
on Sep 24, 2015
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Why not see if Spurs and Satin right in your city might want them? They are an historical reenactors group. If they can't use them I bet they know a group who could.
Danielle
on Sep 24, 2015
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I concur with most of the above posts. As an environmental health risk assessor, I can tell you with certainty that lead is a dangerous toxin and should not be messed with. In many towns, the Fire Department deals with hazardous waste; I'd suggest taking them there immediately if you cannot bring directly to the landfill. Do not throw in trash! Keep away from children and pets!! And wash your hands!!!!!!!
Cynthia Fuller
on Sep 24, 2015
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melt them down and make sinkers for fishing,back in the day they made lead soldiers and toys but they never knew the effects from lead
Mary ingram
on Sep 24, 2015
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So because if all the concern being voiced here, I contacted the Environmental protection agency, they gave me contact info for a lab...see I'm just assuming they are led, because of where they came from...they also told me to contact my local waste management company. ...I will see if there's a local reinactment group too. Thanks everyone.
Jeannette
on Sep 24, 2015
- See 2 previous
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place them in small bags and or rolls so they can be used as fabric weights (instead of pinning)
Karen Silbernagel
on Sep 25, 2015
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sell them to a scrap yard for scrap metal! You get the cash, they get disposed of properly. Just keep a small amount to use for weights in whatever you might want. By the way, the laws changed about using them for fishing.... sinkers must be made of steel for years now because of the environmental hazard. Same as bullets/ shot gun slugs, unless you can find muzzloader enthusiests that might still use them.
Cathy C
on Sep 26, 2015
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I pretty much concur with the comments about health and safety. Even handling the lead using gloves is a bad idea as there will be a small amount of lead dust given off that you will be breathing in. I shoot air guns using lead pellets in an indoor range and we have HUGE ventilation extractors running all the time. Probably best to sell the lead at a metal recyclers then you could give the money to his widow or to charity. Here in the UK there is a good price for lead, hence why thieves even steal it off church roofs!!
Lesley
on Sep 27, 2015
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Realizing I didn't want to flirt with the unknown...I posted them on craigslist, warning there was possible led content...they wound up going to a local machinest, and are on there way t ok becoming who knows what. Lesson learned: Don't bring home a truck load of something just because you think you have a bright idea!
Jeannette
on Sep 27, 2015
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Turns out, these weren't led at all...sorry China, for thinking the worst...turns out they are ceramic, used for polishing .
Jeannette
on Sep 27, 2015
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