Where to get things tested for lead?
I inherited some very nice dishes and glasses that might contain lead and are valuable enough that I’d like to get them professionally checked just to make sure. As we have a child I don’t want to use them at all if they leach lead. Can you please recommend a place (government or private) that can do this test for me? Thank you.
Jan 23, 2020
Parent Replies
You can buy a kit at the hardware store and do it yourself -- that's what I did (and alas, some beloved old plates and baking dishes are only for decoration now!). I do drink from my great-grandmother's nineteenth-century lead crystal wineglasses, but not every day, and definitely not for children. The EPA says this is safe enough since the lead doesn't start to leach out in the time it takes to drink a glass of wine, and I guess now that I'm past my child-bearing years I'm allowing myself to believe that.
Is there a reason you don’t want to just use the 3M kits? They’re recognized by the EPA. Easy to use, too, and available at the hardware store.
Our child's pediatrician recommended the Center for Environmental Health (https://www.ceh.org) - their offices are in Downtown Oakland. About 4 years ago, I called, made an appointment and tested a few hand-me down toys (for free, but I gave the organization a donation for all the great work they're doing). The objects have to fit in the machine, but I can't recall what the exact size is. We found high lead levels in two toys - one metal toy (the metal itself had lead; which had previously been covered with paint, but was now chipping) and in the faux leather of a stuffed animal.
OP here: Thanks for the replies recommending home kits like the 3M one. I read that since lead on plates and cups are embedded into the material, surface testers like the home kits won’t be accurate. They are mainly useful for lead on surface paint, for example, to test if your windowsills have lead in the paint etc. So I’d still like recommendations for a facility that has a machine like an RFID or has experience testing crystal and ceramics. Thanks!