Lead-Free Dishes

Lead in dishes?! Believe it or not, lead is banned from gasoline and paint but it can still be found in the dishes we eat off of. It’s sad but it’s true. I found out that my dishes contain lead and have spent the last year researching and trying to find lead-free dishes and wanted to share my findings with you!

Despite the health risks associated with lead, the dinnerware industry has long used it as a key ingredient in the paint and glaze to make the dishes more durable and less likely to break.

Why is it so important to avoid lead?

Small amounts of lead are found naturally in the environment, but because lead is a toxic substance that builds up in the body, health experts recommend avoiding it whenever possible.

Experts claim exposure to lead can result in learning disabilities, ADD, lowered IQ, speech, language, and behavior problems, poor muscle coordination, constipation, sleeping disorders, high blood pressure, muscle and joint pain, birth defects, and damage to the nervous system and kidneys. Government regulators say exposure to even low levels of lead can have a lifelong impact on a young child.

Isn’t lead banned from products in the US?

Lead was banned from paint, gasoline, and children’s products years ago but it can still be found in trace, but harmful, amounts in things like water, lipstick, toys, and ceramics.

If your home was built before 1978, the paint in your house may contain lead. You should have your home tested for lead paint by a certified lead paint assessor. It is also important to have your children’s lead levels tested. Even if they aren’t licking or eating the paint per se, lead can still be found in the dust in older homes.

The FDA doesn’t require dishes to be lead-free but rather lead-safe. The amount of leachable lead cannot exceed 3 PPM for plates and 2 PPM for bowls. It’s my assumption the allowable level is less for bowls because they know the lead will leach into the liquid in bowls but that still makes me wonder how much lead is leaching into the wet food on my plate! This reaffirms my feelings that it doesn’t matter if it’s a bowl or plate, I am not comfortable with any amount of lead in the dishes my family eats off of.

How to find out if there is lead in your dishes…

First, I recommend doing a little research to find out if there is information out there on the dishes you own. It doesn’t matter what the company that produces your dishes claims, it’s important to do your own homework to find out if your dishes contain lead.

Lead Safe Mama is an amazing resource. Her blog contains a ton of great info and shows test results for many of the common dishes out there that people have sent in to have tested. You can search for your current dishes or send one of your dishes in for her to test. She uses an XRF to test for lead, which analyzes a product’s total lead content by using x-rays that penetrate the surface. It is commonly used by government agencies to conduct lead tests on toys and ceramic dinnerware.

What dishes are lead-free?

After doing hours and hours of research, the only plates that I feel comfortable purchasing are Corelle or Heath Ceramics. These are the only two companies that have proven that they are dedicated to consistently producing lead-free dishes.

Corelle dishes are made of triple-layer glass that is resistant to chips and breaks. This brand consistently tests lead-free as long as you buy new!

Hearth Ceramics are beautiful, timeless, lead-free ceramic dishes made in Sausilito, California. The cost is quite high, but these dishes are so worth it!

Good luck! I know making the switch can be overwhelming but it is so worth it! I hope this helps you make the switch to living a cleaner lifestyle a little easier!