Question from Cari
Hi, fire king jadite, the vintage stuff, is an opaque light green. I guess it is borosilicate glass from what I read. Is this lead free? I cannot find more out about this topic. I have read it is ok to microwave in, but not use in the dishwasher. I would like to feel safe in using these old dishes for everyday. Thanks for everything!
Debra’s Answer
Jadite derives it’s distinguishing color from the addition of uranium to glass, thus giving jadite it’s alternate name, uranium glass. The amount of uranium ranges from trace amounts to about 2 percent by weight. Some pieces made in the 1800s, however, contain up to 25 percent uranium.
Most uranium glass was made into tableware and household items. It fell out of use when uranium was needed to make atomic bombs in the 1950s.
Jadite will register radioactivity on a geiger counter, but the amounts are so low they are considered to be harmless.
To answer your question about lead, I would say that jadite probably does not contain lead. All I could find was that it contains uranium and glass. Lead is typically used in a glaze for color or within the glass to make it sparkle, as in cut crystal.
