On This Day
Consumer Report Warns of Lead in Dishware
December 15, 2007 09:02 AM
by
findingDulcinea Staff
With the public uneasy about news coverage of dangerous lead levels in toys this holiday season, many are taking a closer look at other household items, such as dishware.
30-Second Summary
A rash of lead-poisoning stories inspired KUTV, a Utah CBS affiliate, to produce a whole series on lead poisoning from dishware. The channel’s reporters conducted a study in which 1,500 plates from members of the public were tested. Of these, 30 percent had a higher lead content than the Division of Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency deems acceptable.
The agency’s findings are at variance with those of another recent study, conducted by the Chicago Tribune. The Tribune applied the standards of a different government agency, the Food & Drug Administration. It is the FDA that regulates all imports of dishware into the United States.
In the Tribune survey, from 21 pieces of newly purchased dinnerware, only one item had a higher lead content than allowed by the FDA’s regulations.
According to the National Safety Council, lead can leach from plates and mugs into food and drinks. It advises consumers to “be wary of using or of storing food or beverages in highly decorated or metallic-coated tableware, particularly items made in other countries or by amateurs and hobbyists.”
The long-term effects of lead poisoning can include loss of IQ points, impairments in language fluency or communication skills, memory problems, attention deficits, and poor fine-motor skills.
The agency’s findings are at variance with those of another recent study, conducted by the Chicago Tribune. The Tribune applied the standards of a different government agency, the Food & Drug Administration. It is the FDA that regulates all imports of dishware into the United States.
In the Tribune survey, from 21 pieces of newly purchased dinnerware, only one item had a higher lead content than allowed by the FDA’s regulations.
According to the National Safety Council, lead can leach from plates and mugs into food and drinks. It advises consumers to “be wary of using or of storing food or beverages in highly decorated or metallic-coated tableware, particularly items made in other countries or by amateurs and hobbyists.”
The long-term effects of lead poisoning can include loss of IQ points, impairments in language fluency or communication skills, memory problems, attention deficits, and poor fine-motor skills.
Headline Link: ‘Toddler possibly poisoned by lead paint from plates’
Doctors and health officials believe that Jen McBride, who ate off lead-painted plates, inadvertently poisoned her toddler, Chloe, by passing lead to her through breast milk. Health officials concluded that the lead originated in the dinner plates after every other possible source of lead poisoning came up negative.
Source: KUTV
Background: Surveys and research
After testing 1,500 plates for lead, KUTV found that 3 in 10 dinner plates tested positive; the more colorful the plate, the more likely it was to contain lead. The study results are examined in a PDF, available online.
Source: KUTV
The Chicago Tribune performed a similar study to the ones above and found that while most consumers probably have plates with lead in them, it is unlikely that the metal will get into their food. The article found that “if ceramic ware has been fired correctly, the lead and cadmium that might be in a glaze or decoration will remain stable and not leach into a food or drink."
Source: Chicago Tribune
In 1989, FDA Consumer magazine examined the lead poisoning case of a Westchester, NY, family in which several family members became ill from a lead glazed jug from Mexico. The family had used the jug to a store a fermented sugar-and-bean drink. The Health official examining the house for lead found that the glaze on the jar was corroded.
Source: Food and Drug Administration
Related Links: National Safety Council tips, lead in dishware and household areas, and lead poisoning symptoms
Playing it safe
According to the National Safety Council, lead can leach from plates and mugs into food and drinks. The council advises consumers to check the lead content of ceramic ware. It also suggests, “Avoid eating off any colorfully painted ceramic plates, and avoid drinking from any ceramic mugs unless you know they do not leach lead. This is particularly important if the pottery was made in Mexico or another Latin America country, or in Asia.”
Source: National Safety Council
In its article “Lead In Dishes and Crystal,” the National Safety Council states that in order to avoid exposure to lead from dishware consumers should “be wary of using or of storing food or beverages in highly decorated or metallic-coated tableware, particularly items made in other countries or by amateurs and hobbyists.” The NSC also states that consumers who want to inquire if lead was used in a particular product can get the manufacturer’s contact details by dialing (800) 555-1212.
Source: National Safety Council
The Mayo Clinic explains that lead can be found in the following places: soil, water, paint, household dust and some imported canned food. The Web site also offers information on the symptoms, treatment and prevention of lead poisoning.
Source: Mayo Clinic
Web MD states that the long-term effects of lead poisoning include “loss of IQ points, impairments in language fluency or communication, memory problems, trouble paying attention, lack of concentration, poor fine-motor skills, difficulty with planning and organization, difficulty forming abstract concepts, poor cognitive flexibility (trying something else if the first thing you try doesn't solve a problem).”
Source: Web MD
For more information about lead poisoning in toys, see the Beyond the Headlines story “Health Risks with Imported Toys Trouble Parents.”
Source: findingDulcinea
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