Question from Kaila
Hi Debra,
I recently purchased a glass kettle by Trendglas Jena to replace my old kettle and avoid leeching metals. Sadly, I didn’t see your comment on lead in the markings on the outside before I bought it, otherwise I would have purchased their smaller one with no markings.
I wrote the company and they sent me their test results (yes lead in the paint).
However, their kettles pass: FDA, Prop 65, REACH and several other European standards.
Is the risk with this paint just that it would wear over time and you’d come into contact with it washing, etc. Or that it can leach into the glass from the outside? I did not want to purchase a Chinese glass kettle and chose this because of the higher European safety standards. I may be able to exchange for one without markings. Thoughts?
Debra’s Answer
Europe does have higher safety standards.
I’m not really concerned about this.
A lot of research has been done on lead exposure and there are zero warnings about touching lead or breathing air next to a surface with lead paint. The hazard of lead exposure from paint is when it is ground into dust and inhaled, such as a door or window wearing away paint from opening and closing, and releasing it into the air. Also eating chips of lead paint is a hazard.
But I have no evidence or logic that would indicate to me that lead paint on a measuring cup would be a hazard.
Would I prefer there to be no lead paint on a product? Yes. But I don’t see a hazardous exposure here.
Someone please correct me if you have some evidence otherwise.
