Lead Guide

Lead Information

Why bother with a lead rating scale? All lead is bad.

Yes, all lead is bad, but because lead is unfortunately and inevitably part of our lives, products, and homes, a scale can help provide nuance and deeper understanding about how it actually affects you, and how to navigate it. To see what I mean, here are some examples of how certain household products would fall on the scale above:

• X, the “worst case” scenario: an example of this would be having lead in the cooking surface of a pot used for simmering on the stove. Lead will very likely leach into the food from the pot, and you are eating the food, so it will very likely get into your body.

• !, the “caution” scenario: an example of this would be having lead in the knob on the lid of a pot used for cooking. It will not leach into food here. Lead is not well absorbed by your skin, so touching it will also not be an immediate issue. But, there is a chance that if the knob gets scratched or banged up in the cooking process at all, lead dust will leave the knob. And, if you don’t wash your hands after touching the knob, you could potentially transfer some of that lead into the food or directly into your body through hand-to-mouth contact.

• ≈, the “OK/so-so” scenario: an example of this would be the lead used in the bottom of Stanley cups. It’s part of the way they make the vacuum seal, but it is completely covered and encased by stainless steel so you would never come into contact with it, unless you broke open your tumbler and touched or licked it.

The products you have and how you interact with them will determine how they land on the rating scale. Your level of concern may be very different from anyone else’s, too— I’ve heard from people who won’t have a Stanley cup in their home because of the mere presence of lead, and on the other hand, I’ve seen people brush it all off, saying they’ve used products with lead in them their whole life and they’re “totally fine.” All to say, this scale is not a hard and fast rule— none of the ones I make are— it’s just a way to organize your thinking to help compare different products’ potential risk levels in the context of your life and preferences.

Does lead go through skin? Can you get lead poisoning from touching lead?

No, generally lead doesn’t go through skin, and you wouldn’t get lead poisoning this way. The main way lead gets into your body is through ingestion (eating and drinking) or inhalation. Your skin is very good at keeping lead out, and it doesn’t enter your body through dermal contact easily. The exceptions would be if it is in a finely powdered form, if your skin barrier is not intact (as in severe eczema, cuts, or other dermatological conditions), or if the contact time is very long or very frequent. Showering in water containing lead is generally considered safe for this reason, as long as you don’t drink the water. People that work with lead with their hands for their job or hobby don’t need to stop; they just need to make sure no lead gets into the air in vapor or dust form, and to wash their hands afterward so no lead gets into their mouth through hand-to-mouth contact later. Wearing gloves during working is a good idea too, in case there is any lead dust on the product, which could more easily go through skin.

FYI, touching organic lead is very dangerous, and is very easily absorbed through your skin. The word organic in this context means it is attached to hydrogen and carbon atoms— this was the type of lead that was in gasoline until it was phased out in the 1970s and completely banned in 1996. The carbon and hydrogen change how it reacts with your skin, making it readily absorbed. The vast majority of lead we encounter today is in not organic anymore, and is instead elemental, or inorganic.

How to make a decision about a lead-containing item.

Here is how I make decisions about letting lead-containing products into my house, broken down into 4 steps:

1. Is there lead in the product, and if so, where?

   There are a few main ways to know if there is lead in a product. First, a company might disclose it by sharing test results or having a Prop 65 warning. Second, you might personally test for it, like if you use an accurate, EPA-approved, lead test kit and get a positive result. Third, you may know of a very popular blogger that uses XRF testing and reports about the presence of lead in various products. Just as important is knowing where the lead is in the product, so you can answer questions 2-4.

2. Is it migrating out of the product?

   Just because there is lead in a product, doesn’t mean it is migrating out of it, and there are two main ways to know if it is or not. One is by leach testing (read more below) and the other is simply understanding that elemental lead is not very reactive, and will generally mind its own business and stay put unless you coax it out of the product with heat, acid, or abrasion. For example, there is likely lead in the plastic part of the electrical cord of the old space heater I’ve had for 10+ years. But, my concern about this is very low, because there is basically no way for the lead to get out of the cord in the way I use it (it just sits there, undisturbed, 99% of the time.)

3. Is it actually getting into my body?

   If lead is able to migrate out of a product, it may or may not be able to get in to your body. Continuing with the electrical cord example, if I was touching the cord all the time, causing abrasion, and some lead was getting out, I would still not be concerned for myself, as lead is so poorly absorbed through skin and I wash my hands regularly. On the other hand, if I was chewing the cord, or had a baby or pet that was, I would be very concerned.

4. Big Picture questions: does this lead-containing item affect the environment and other people long term? Do I want to support companies that have any lead at all in their products? What will happen to the lead when I’m done with this product?

   You might still think about these Big Picture questions before you purchase anything with lead in it. On the one hand, when the lead in something is such a tiny concern for your personal exposure, as in the case of the space heater, it’s hard to worry about, especially if it’s a good deal and is otherwise healthy. On the other hand, we absolutely can change the market and “vote with our dollars” to encourage less lead being used in any product at all. While your answer will be highly personal and falls outside of the scope of Interior Medicine, I include it here because separating it out shows that it’s just one part of a 4-part decision.

What is XRF testing?

XRF stands for X-Ray Fluorescence, and it is one way to know if there is lead in a product. XRF testing can be done with a handheld device that looks a little bit like a hot glue gun with a screen on it. You can point it at a product, and the type of x-rays that bounce back will tell you what metals are in it. The screen will display a list of how much of each metal is in it. Handheld machines cost up to $50,000 and you must be trained to use it — because it uses x-ray technology, radiation safety knowledge is needed, and since it is a highly technical instrument, understanding accuracy vs precision, calibration, and how to interpret results is important.

Is XRF testing accurate?

Yes, it can be, as long as the machine is calibrated, and the user is trained. XRF machines are also better at detecting heavier metals than lighter ones. Lead is a heavy metal, so XRF testing is very good at detecting lead accurately.

What is leach testing?

Leach testing is one way to tell how much lead, or other metal, actually migrates out of a product. It’s a helpful test used in conjunction with XRF testing, to understand whether the lead in a product is bound up in it, and won’t cause harm, or if it’s leaching out, and at what level. For leach testing done on cookware, an acid bath method is used. 4% acetic acid solution (essentially, extra strong vinegar) is added to the pot, boiled for 2 hours, then cooled and held at room temperature for 24 hours. After that, samples of the liquid are analyzed for how much lead it contains using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (high tech lab equipment). Then, this result is used to back-calculate the equivalent lead content in ppm (or mg/kg) in the pot itself, that is capable of leaching.

Leach tests are designed to greatly overestimate the amount of lead you would possibly be exposed to, to leave lots of room for error and promote less lead exposure. It is very unlikely that you would ever cook food under conditions that are so acidic, or for so long. It gives you essentially a “worst case scenario” result.

Is XRF testing or leach testing more accurate?

While they’re both accurate, leach testing is more accurate for “real life” use.

An XRF test may show that the food surface of a pot has 100ppm lead in it. A leach test may show that same pot has 20ppm lead in it (read more about ppm, ppb, and limits on lead below). Both methods are useful — in XRF testing, the x-rays bounce off the surface and report back to you that it “sees”100ppm lead. It’s good for knowing about the presence of lead, but not necessarily how it will act in real life. Leach testing on the same pot may tell you that over 24 hours, under acidic conditions, the pot has 20ppm that could potentially leach. This is not the same as what is actually in the leachate solution— you can assume that much less of what the leach test shows would get out under normal cooking conditions. Overall, leach testing gives you a more realistic exposure estimate.

XRF testing and leach testing aren’t perfectly correlated. Sometimes, a high XRF reading will have a very low leachate result, and a lower XRF reading will have a relatively high leachate result. You can see what I mean in the testing done on lead-contaminated aluminum cookware here. This is because it’s not just about the mere presence of lead, it’s also about how it is bound up into the rest of the materials the pot is made of.

What are the limits on lead in products?

I think this list is really useful for putting lead exposures into perspective. FYI, PPM means parts per million, and is a way of describing the concentration of something. It’s just like how percent — or, per cent, means per hundred. But in situations like measuring lead, even 0.01% per cent, is way too big. So, ppm is used instead in most cases. Toward the bottom, ppb is used— parts per billion— where even less lead is allowed.

• Soil has 50-400 ppm lead in it naturally, because lead is one of the elements naturally occurring on earth. Human activity can make this number higher. The EPA requires action if lead levels are over 400ppm in places where kids play, and over 1,200 ppm in other soil.

• 300 ppm is the limit for lead in the metal parts of bicycles.

• 100 ppm is the limit for lead in children’s toys.

• 90 ppm is the limit for lead in paint and furniture — defined by the CPSC as objects used to support people or things or may be functional/decorative articles. Such products include beds, bookcases, chairs, chests, tables, dressers, desks, pianos, television consoles, and sofas. They do not regulate appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners, or cabinets, windows, or blinds.

• 10ppm is the limit for lead in eye makeup, and 5ppm is the limit for lead in lipsticks.

• 5ppm is the upcoming law for cookware, and cookware components like knobs on pots, if you live in the state of Washington. Starting on January 1st, 2026, all cookware sold in the state must have 5ppm lead or less in it. This are the first state to limit this.

• 0.226ppm is the limit for lead in flatware, and 0.1ppm is the limit for all other tableware according to Prop 65.

• 20 ppb — parts per billion— even tinier! is the limit for food. Anything above this requires action. This is set by the FDA.

• 5 ppb — parts per billion— even tinier! is the limit for bottled water. This is set by the FDA.

Is there lead in cookware?

Yes, there is lead in two main types of cookware: some imported aluminum pots and pans that have been contaminated with lead, and some glazed or ceramic cookware.

Aluminum cookware is not usually contaminated with lead. However, researchers in Washington state found that there were extremely high levels of lead in some of the aluminum pots and pans imported from other countries because they were made with a combination of aluminum and scrap metal that contained lead, in the context of looser regulations. The researchers also found that some of these are for sale on Amazon and other online retailers, so they published a list of ones that are contaminated. The recommendation is to avoid buying cheap aluminum cookware, especially if it doesn’t come with detailed information about where it was made. In general, if you buy aluminum cookware that is made in the USA, where there are strict rules about lead, you will not need to worry about lead contamination.

Read on to learn about the possibility of lead in ceramic cookware.

Is ceramic cookware safe?

It may be safe enough for you, but it’s a personal decision with nuance that depends on your risk tolerance, other factors in your life, and how you answer the 4 points above. In general, if the food contact surface has been leach tested for heavy metals, to confirm that none, or very little, escape from the cooking surface into food, it could be safe enough for most people. Here is why:

Bottled water can contain up to 1 ppb (part per billion) of lead, lipstick can have up to 5 ppb, vegetables can contain up to 10ppb, and root vegetables can have up to 20ppb. So, using ceramic cookware that leaches 1ppb lead during a 24 hour acid bath leach test is even safer than eating some vegetables from a purely lead-focused perspective. (The benefits of eating vegetables far, far outweigh the small amount of lead in them; please do not stop eating them!)

But, some might say, “no amount of lead is safe! Why would you ever choose to use cookware that contains lead?! HOW DARE YOU PROMOTE LEAD CONTAINING COOKWARE!!” Well, I mostly agree, but with two caveats:

First, other types of cookware present other problems that may be worse. Non-stick PFAS coatings transfer to food readily and are associated with an ever-growing number of health issues, nickel in stainless steel pots leaches and can aggravate a nickel allergy, imported aluminum pots can be highly contaminated with lead; even cast iron can present issues for people with hemochromatosis. Or, some people just don’t want to deal with the seasoning or weight of cast iron. In short, some people might be willing to take the relatively small lead risk for the sake of avoiding these other imperfections, or even just for convenience.

Second, risk is personal — a sliding scale, with lots of grey areas and nuance. There are very few yes/no answers on Interior Medicine— I don’t recommend any certain cookware over another to you, but I do give you the health information so you can decide for yourself in the context of the rest of your life. You can see more in my cookware section here.

In conclusion, ceramic cookware may contain heavy metals like lead or cadmium, but it may not. And, they may or may not leach out of the cookware into your food. I highly recommend only using ceramic cookware that has been leach tested, and even more, I recommend products where you can actually see the test results. If you are currently using ceramic cookware that you don’t have this information for, you can test it with a lead kit, choose not use it for simmering acidic foods, or stop using it altogether. If it is brightly colored or vintage, it is more likely to contain heavy metals. Again, you can refer to the 4 decision making questions above to come to a final answer that feels good to you.

What’s a normal amount of lead to have in your blood?

It depends on when you were born. In the 1960s, when there were very few regulations for lead, the average blood lead level (BLL) was much higher than it is today—it was around 60 ug/mL then, and now the average is 5 ug/mL. You can see it drop over time in this cool graph. While 5 ug/mL is now normal, it’s still not zero, so it’s not ideal. Unlike with other metals or elements, where a small amount in your blood is safe and there are no known health risks, lead is different— even at just 5 ug/mL, there is evidence of risk.

I’ve been using lead products all my life, and I’m totally fine.

Saying, “meh, a little lead never hurt me” is surprisingly common! While it’s technically incorrect— even very low blood levels of lead are linked with health issues — I do understand why people say it. First, obviously, there is no “control version” of them that wasn’t exposed to lead, so without the alternate universe version of them, you can’t really argue with their statement. I also understand their rejection of living with more fear than necessary — they had all these exposures to lead (see above), and they’re still living happy and relatively healthy lives. Third, almost no one is spending their free time learning about the new research on how blood lead level limits are constantly being pushed lower and lower because we keep learning more and more about how toxic lead is. While I agree with loving the way you are, and reducing fear, I do not agree with the idea that a little bit of lead is safe.

What are symptoms of lead poisoning?

After lead has built up over months to years, signs and symptoms may start appearing. In kids, symptoms of lead poisoning include developmental delays, learning difficulties, irritability, weight loss, and GI issues.

What are the lead toxicity symptoms in adults?

In adults, high levels of lead can contribute to high blood pressure, reduced sperm count, miscarriage, headaches, or difficulty concentrating. These signs and symptoms can also be caused by other things, so always talk to your doctor first.

What can I do for lead toxicity prevention?

Avoid eating soil and dust, by encouraging kids and others to wash their hands frequently. Dust your house with a wet rag weekly. Take your shoes off at the door. Do not disturb old paint until you’ve tested it for lead, and if you do any drilling or renovations that involve lead-based paint as part of an older home, be sure to get expert advice on how to do it safely. Be cautious about pottery, ceramics, toys, and cosmetics that have a Prop 65 warning for lead and see if you can get more information first before using these. Eat a healthy diet rich in vitamin C and iron, which can lessen the amount of lead absorbed. And always, see your doctor if you’re concerned.