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Ask Dr. Sue
DISHES AND LEAD POISONING
Dear Dr. Sue,
My husband and I received a set of dishes for Christmas
that say "Made in China" on the back. I remember
long ago hearing about the danger of using imported
dishes, especially from Mexico, because they might
contain lead. I didn't really pay much attention
to it then, especially because I didn't have any
children at the time. How do I know these dishes
are safe for my family to use?
Concerned Mom
Dear Concerned Mom,
Lead exposure is a danger to everyone, but especially to
children, babies and fetuses, whose nervous systems are
growing and developing rapidly. Government sources
suggest that as many as 9% of all preschoolers have
dangerously elevated lead levels. The percentage
is much higher among children living in cities, children
in minority groups, and children in low-income families.
Once the high levels of lead occur, damage has been
done, so while high lead levels can be treated,
prevention is the only sensible way of managing lead
exposure.
In regard to dishes, glazed china is the most common
potential source of lead in American-made dishes.
The likelihood of lead leaching into food or drink
varies tremendously from one dish to another.
Dishes currently being made in the U.S. must be tested
for this potential, though the information isn't always
provided to the consumer. Most can be assumed to
meet FDA guidelines, however. Dishes being
imported from other countries CAN be automatically held
at Customs until the importer or distributor can prove
that they meet FDA requirements. I don't know how
likely they are to slip through unchallenged.
Older dishes, such as family heirlooms and antiques
probably have not been tested. Also beware of
home-made or handcrafted china, either from the U.S. or
abroad, unless you know that the maker used a lead-free
glaze or high-temperature, commercial firing practices.
Avoid dishes with highly decorated, multi-colored inside
surfaces. Watch out for those with decorations on top of
the glaze instead of under it. (This may be the
case if you can feel the decoration when you run your
fingers over it, if you can see brush strokes above the
clear glaze surface, or if the decoration appears to be
wearing away.) THE MOST DANGEROUS OF ALL is china
that develops a dusty or chalky grey residue on the
glaze after washing. STOP USING THIS TYPE OF DISH AT
ONCE.
If you are uncertain about the dishes you received, you
can minimize your risk by:
-
Not storing food or drink in them.
-
Not serving highly acidic food or
drink in them (like cola-type soft drinks, orange
and grapefruit juice, applesauce and apple juice,
tomatoes and tomato sauces, salad drinks made with
vinegar, tea or coffee).
-
Not using them as everyday dishes.
-
Not heating or microwaving foods in
them.
There are only two ways to be certain
that dishes are "lead-free," (or at least contain only
low levels of leachable lead.) The first is to
contact the manufacturer, when possible, and ask for
their testing data. For American-made dishes call
1-800-555-1212 and ask if your manufacturer has a
toll-free number. The second, and probably your
only option in this case, is to test them yourself.
Kits are available by mail or through the internet;
several sources are listed at the end of this article.
Other ways to protect your children from lead include:
-
Keeping your home as clean and free
from dust as possible. (Wet mop the floors,
wipe off window ledges and wash all surfaces with
water and detergent.)
-
Take off your shoes when you enter
the house.
-
If you work with lead, change out of
work clothes and shower as soon as you get home.
Lead is used in many workplaces including radiator
repair shops, battery manufacturing plants and lead
smelters. Ask your employer about your
workplace if you aren't sure.
-
Never sand, burn or scrape paint
unless you know that it does not contain lead.
-
Test painted surfaces for lead before
you work on them (inexpensive test kits are
available at most hardware stores.) If lead is
found, don't proceed with the project yourself, and
don't allow your children to be around when the
experts tackle the project.
-
Wash children's hands often,
especially before eating.
-
Avoid hobbies that use lead, such as
soldering, making stained glass, making bullets or
reloading shotgun shells, or making your own fishing
weights. If family members or friends have
such hobbies, don't allow your children into the
room or building where these things are done.
-
Don't place cribs, playpens, beds or
high chairs next to areas where paint is chipping or
peeling. Better yet, fix those areas, using
the guidelines in numbers 4 and 5 above.
-
Do not use home remedies or cosmetics
that contain lead. (The only one of these I'm
familiar with is Kohl; others include Azarcon,
Greta, and Pay-loo-ah.)
RESOURCES
• Home Test Kits by Mail:
LeadCheck Swabs
HybriVet Systems, Inc.
PO Box 1210
Framingham, MA 01701
800-262-LEAD
$21.95 plus shipping for 8 test swabs
Frandon Lead Alert Kit
Pace Environs, Inc.
120 West Beaver Creek Rd., Unit 16
Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada L4B1L2
800-359-9000
Up to 100 tests, $29.95 plus shipping
Lead Inspector Kit
Michigan Ceramic Supplies, Inc.
4048 Seventh St.
PO Box 342
Wyandotte, MI 48192
800-860-2332
Up to 100 tests, $17.95 plus shipping
Know Lead Kit
Carolina Environment
PO Box 3547
Mooresville, NC 28117
800-448-LEAD (This is also a help line)
4 tests, $11.95 plus shipping,
NOTE: I do not have data about how effective these test
strips are, and it is likely that low levels of lead
will be missed by all of them; I would expect the most
dangerous levels to be picked up.
•More information about lead
in dishes:
The Environmental Defense Fund web page at
The Office of Consumer Affairs
US Food and Drug Administration
Mail Stop MFE-88
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
888-INFO-FDA
or write:
Lead Safe China Brochure
Environmental Defense
PO Box 96969
Washington, DC 20090-6969
• For more information about
the health impacts of lead"
Centers for Disease Control
Environmental Health Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch
1600 Clifton Road
Mail Stop E25
Atlanta, GA 30333
404-639-2510
or call:
800-LEADFYI to request information packet in English or
Spanish
800-424-LEAD to speak with an information specialist
 
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