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Lead |
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Lead has been found in many different commonly used products that are brought into our homes.
In the past, most lead exposure came from its use in gasoline and paint. Lead was banned from Canadian gasoline in 1990, but old paint remains a concern in homes built before the 1980s.
In recent years, lead has been found in many different consumer products, including plastic mini-blinds, candlewicks, sidewalk chalk, crayons, the paint on pencils, clothing zippers, inexpensive jewellery and trinkets, pewter items, some imported candy and traditional medicines and some painted toys. It can also be found in leaded crystal, in some imported glazed pottery and glassware, and in drinking water in homes with lead pipes.
Links to sites external to the Toronto Public Health Web site are provided as a convenience and their inclusion does not imply that Toronto Public Health endorses or accepts any responsibility for the content or use of these sites.
What can I do to minimize my family's exposure to lead in consumer products?
- Check for product warnings from Health Canada. Look for product advisories and warnings, cosmetics warnings and recalls, and consumer product recalls.
- Watch out for clothing zippers, inexpensive jewellery and trinkets (such as key ring fobs) that have a dull grey colour or are heavy for their size. Sometimes they will draw a grey line on a white piece of paper. These items are very common. They can contain as much as 50 per cent pure lead, and are very dangerous if chewed, sucked or swallowed by a young child. Check for these items in children's jewellery and trinket boxes and in birthday party favour bags and surprise bags.
- Carefully discard plastic mini-blinds bought before 1997. Discard old blinds of uncertain age. The surface dust may contain high levels of lead. Enclose the entire blind in a plastic bag and dispose with regular garbage.
- Do not store or serve food and drinks in leaded crystal dishes. Canadian regulations limit lead content in glazes on glassware and ceramics used in preparing, serving, or storing food. Avoid storing or serving food and drinks in ceramics if they are from abroad or you are unsure of where they were made.
- Avoid buying candles with a metallic core in the wick. These wicks are more common in wide candles. The metal in the wick helps the larger amount of wax to burn.
- If your hobbies involve arts and crafts materials that contain lead - e.g., lead solder to attach stained glass - carefully separate these activities from your children's living area. Make sure the air flow in your workspace goes outside and not into your home. Keep your supplies stored safely out of the reach of children. Frequently wet-mop your workspace.
- Avoid toys, backpacks and lunchboxes made of brightly coloured, PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic. The bright colours often mean lead is present. PVC is sometimes labelled with the #3 recycling symbol.
- Until international trade in products is better regulated, choose products such as pencils, crayons and sidewalk chalk that are made in Canada, the US or countries in the European Union.
Where can I get more information?
Learn more about lead in consumer products:
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