non-toxic glassware/ dinnerware?
mindful...@gmail.com
requires that sellers warn about selling toxic dishware, etc. (mostly
this is about stoneware and crystal that contains what they consider
to be too much lead).
Sounds good in theory. But in practice they don't know which plates,
glasses, cups, etc. contain lead so they just put up a sign that says
"Some products sold here may contain excessive amounts of lead that
could cause cancer" or etc...
So then you are left to just guess whether or not it may have lead in
it, or some other toxic substance, and you just go away and don't buy
anything at all and wonder "How do I find out if the dinnerware set is
toxic or not?"
So that's why I'm here.
Does anyone know how one can know which dinnerware set has safe
amounts of lead? Does Stoneware generally have more or less lead? Does
non-crystal glassware also have lead? I assume China would be the
country most likely to have dangerous amounts of lead since they don't
seem to be real keen on health and safety over there. But how about
Mexico? Some of the dinnerware we were thinking of buying was
distributed by a major American company but was manufactured in
Mexico.
Any info anyone can give me on this would be helpful.
We like to buy our stuff at Ross stores because they have great deals.
But they have NO customer service and so you are just left to wonder
about their products and take your chances. Do companies like Libbey
or Waterford (or is it Waterstone?) that I saw there sell dinnerware
wtih excessive lead? What is considered a good company that's not
expensive?
Anthony Matonak
...
> So then you are left to just guess whether or not it may have lead in
> it, or some other toxic substance, and you just go away and don't buy
> anything at all and wonder "How do I find out if the dinnerware set is
> toxic or not?"
Just don't buy at a store unless they can guarantee that the products
won't kill you. Complain to the manager. Tell them that you don't want
to die. They might not understand this at first but if you repeat it
enough they might get a glimmer of what you are talking about.
I'm sure there is a store somewhere that will sell you dinnerware that
isn't toxic.
Anthony
Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to reply
> Here in California we have something called proposition 65 which
> requires that sellers warn about selling toxic dishware, etc. (mostly
> this is about stoneware and crystal that contains what they consider
> to be too much lead).
>
> Sounds good in theory. But in practice they don't know which plates,
> glasses, cups, etc. contain lead so they just put up a sign that says
> "Some products sold here may contain excessive amounts of lead that
> could cause cancer" or etc...
This is an excellent example of one of the ST&PID ballot propositions
that get put on the ballot here and that are voted into practice that
never should have been put on the ballot in the first place because it
was inevitable that businesses come up with the type of solution that
they did.
The stores could indeed find out which of their merchandise could have
lead, but they don't want to bother.
If you stick with name brands produced for known US manufacturers like
Libbey, you will be okay. Waterford is a well-known brand that should
not have toxic lead in it, either.
Mexican pottery is well known to have a higher chance of having lead.
Caveat emptor.
Beware of similar-sounding company names.
--
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work with excellence.
Shawn Hirn
<0a32a83b-37c8-4422...@n20g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>,
mindful...@gmail.com wrote:
> Here in California we have something called proposition 65 which
> requires that sellers warn about selling toxic dishware, etc. (mostly
> this is about stoneware and crystal that contains what they consider
> to be too much lead).
>
> Sounds good in theory. But in practice they don't know which plates,
> glasses, cups, etc. contain lead so they just put up a sign that says
> "Some products sold here may contain excessive amounts of lead that
> could cause cancer" or etc...
Why is this a problem? Retailers can simply refuse to sell any produce
that is not clearly marked, "safe for food consumption" or something
along those lines. In fact, I would hope this proposition 65 requires
such labeling in order to make it easy for retailers to identify any
products that do contain toxic substances.
Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to reply
>
> Why is this a problem? Retailers can simply refuse to sell any produce
> that is not clearly marked, "safe for food consumption" or something
> along those lines. In fact, I would hope this proposition 65 requires
> such labeling in order to make it easy for retailers to identify any
> products that do contain toxic substances.
The stores were basically forced into doing what they did to totally
protect themselves from lawsuits.
Prop 65 was a ballot initiative put on the ballot by getting enough
people to sign a petition asking for it. It sounds like a good idea,
but it was too easy to render useless and so time-consuming to comply
with in an ideal fashion that most businesses opted for the easy,
brain-dead solution, which is why it never should have been put on the
ballot in the first place.
pc
> Shawn Hirn wrote:
>>
>> Why is this a problem? Retailers can simply refuse to sell any produce
>> that is not clearly marked, "safe for food consumption" or something
>> along those lines. In fact, I would hope this proposition 65 requires
>> such labeling in order to make it easy for retailers to identify any
>> products that do contain toxic substances.
>
> The stores were basically forced into doing what they did to totally
> protect themselves from lawsuits.
>
> Prop 65 was a ballot initiative put on the ballot by getting enough
> people to sign a petition asking for it. It sounds like a good idea,
> but it was too easy to render useless and so time-consuming to comply
> with in an ideal fashion that most businesses opted for the easy,
> brain-dead solution, which is why it never should have been put on the
> ballot in the first place.
>
You can buy a lead testing kit at Home Depot.
Don Klipstein
mindful...@gmail.com wrote:
>Here in California we have something called proposition 65 which
>requires that sellers warn about selling toxic dishware, etc. (mostly
>this is about stoneware and crystal that contains what they consider
>to be too much lead).
>
>Sounds good in theory. But in practice they don't know which plates,
>glasses, cups, etc. contain lead so they just put up a sign that says
>"Some products sold here may contain excessive amounts of lead that
>could cause cancer" or etc...
>
>So then you are left to just guess whether or not it may have lead in
>it, or some other toxic substance, and you just go away and don't buy
>anything at all and wonder "How do I find out if the dinnerware set is
>toxic or not?"
>
>So that's why I'm here.
>
>Does anyone know how one can know which dinnerware set has safe
>amounts of lead? Does Stoneware generally have more or less lead? Does
>non-crystal glassware also have lead? I assume China would be the
>country most likely to have dangerous amounts of lead since they don't
>seem to be real keen on health and safety over there. But how about
>Mexico? Some of the dinnerware we were thinking of buying was
>distributed by a major American company but was manufactured in
>Mexico.
>
>Any info anyone can give me on this would be helpful.
Among glassware, at least by-and-large only the various grades of
"crystal" have lead. For that matter, the lead in such glass is
well-enough contained in the glass to stay there and not affect you unless
you both grind the glass to a fine powder and eat it. Maybe even then you
won't get much lead absorbed into your body should you choose to eat
pulverized crystal glassware.
Glass is so chemically inert that only one acid has any significant
effect on it at any temperature anywhere room or body temperature. None
of the usual organic solvents have any significant effect on glass at any
temperature and pressure at which they are liquid and stable. Glass even
has only minimal and slow reactions with the strongest alkalis and
"alkaline metals", even the ones that are noted for spontaneous combustion
that results from dropping them into water!
Keep in mind this California stuff on toxicity has gone so far as to be
fairly well known as a laughingstock!
- Don Klipstein (d...@misty.com)
mindful...@gmail.com
> In <0a32a83b-37c8-4422-89e9-98dc875af...@n20g2000hsh.googlegroups.com>,
>
> - Show quoted text -
I think you are mistaken.
As I understand it, it is the glazes they put on the dinnerware which
is dangerous, as it is basically like paint and does contain lead and
that lead does come off into one's food.
I agree that the proposition did no good and the whole thing was not
thought out. But now you are just left to wonder, "Is this toxic or
not?" Most of the stuff comes from China these days, and China is the
WORST at quality control because they don't give a damn. These are the
same people who are waging cultural genocide on TIbet, destroying
2,000 year old Buddhist temples and artifacts and preventing Tibetans
from practicing Buddhism, which isn't even a religion, it's a way of
life, a way of thinking and acting.
So the only real solution to this I suppose is to write to the
manufacturer or call them and ask if they are doing quality control on
a particular type of dinnerware which you intend to buy. Even then I
am guessing you won't get a solid assurance.
As for asking the people in the store, good luck. Sure maybe if you
are buying expensive dinnerware in a high-class store. But if you are
just buying run of the mill stuff like most people buy, the store
manager has no idea. In fact he probably doesn't even know as much
about what the issue is, as we do, and really doesn't care. He's
probably making a relative low salary and it's just a job. They don't
pay him enough to care.
So in the end, I guess the thing to do is buy from a well known
American company, and try to get something without a lot of paint or
glaze on it. I'm thinking of going back to Correlle. It's relatively
cheap, doesn't chip or break easy and looks okay.
max
<a89f3516-9596-4def...@u10g2000prn.googlegroups.com>,
mindful...@gmail.com wrote:
before i get even remotely concerned about lead in glazes or crystal, i
would like to see some comprehensive, numerically explicative studies
and i want them to be relevant and cover a host of temperature, pH and
salinity ranges. etc.
At first blush, this is like the stickers on my television that warn me
that if i eat the circuit boards inside in the back i might be exposed
to lead...
I say this because, at first glance, there doens't appear to be much
transfer of lead out of dishes. If there were, one would expect to see
a significant change in surface color or texture that was independant
from abrasive wear. well, my fabu lead crystal glass is just as perfect
today as it was two decades ago. None of my glazed ceramic dishes show
any sign of clouding or opacity ...
If lead is being transferred out of surface coatings, it should,
eventually be visible to the naked eye. Never have i seen such a thing.
.max
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