6. Precautions for use

Lead and its alloys in metallic form can be stored and handled without special precautions. On the other hand, they can be altered during use, particularly during remelting: oxidation at too high a temperature, segregation by holding at too low a temperature. Overheating and unnecessary agitation of lead should be avoided, to prevent the introduction of oxides which could then have a detrimental effect on the mechanical strength of the product. Waste lead materials should not be thrown into the crucibles under the pretext of recycling: the impurities they may contain can profoundly alter the properties of the metal, without the user's knowledge.