Because of the new EU regulation that limits the amount of lead in jewelry, I've done a bit of research on the lead content in lampwork glass.
I wrote a summary of the situation with the regulation and lead in glas (and also a list of Bullseye glass that contains lead) here:
http://silvergrejs.blogspot.se/2013/01/lead-content-in-bullseye-glass-and-new.html
I've tried to find out which other lampwork or fusing glass (soft glass) contains lead. So far I've found that:
- Effetre is lead free (according to a supplier)
- Lauscha is lead free (according to a supplier)
- Double Helix is lead free or below the limit, except for Gaia and perhaps Kronos 2 (which is just above the limit, so if you don't use only Kronos 2 in your bead you'll be below the limit in average): http://www.doublehelixglassworks.com/faq.aspx#13
- Reichenbach has some lead free colours, but far from all is lead free. See their list of colours, the lead free colours are marked with *: http://www.farbglas.de/rangeofcolors.html
- Kugler has some lead free colours, see this list: http://www.kuglercolors.de/farbenbleifrei.htm
- Preciosa is mostly lead free. If I interpret their document correctly (they have some typos in there I think) their two opalescent colours and all their composite colours contain lead: http://preciosa-ornela.com/files/LampKomp.pdf
- Devardi is lead free: http://www.devardiglass.com/about.htm
- Some Bullseye colours contain lead: http://www.bullseyeglass.com/images/stories/bullseye/PDF/other_technical/reactive_potential_of_bullseye_glass.pdf
I haven't found any reliable information about Vetrofond, CIM, Northstar/Precision or System96 (Uroboros/Spectrum fusing glass). If anyone knows anything more about these, or if I've missed a brand, please comment :)
Please note: I'm not saying that lead in glass is hazardous. The general opinion is that glass doesn't release lead (or the release rate is very low) so it should be safe, but the EU regulation limits the weight content to 0,05% and only makes an exception for crystal glass and "enamels". Thus I'm interested in the lead content rather than the release of lead from glass ;)
I am also interested in a "second opinion" on the definition of "enamels" in the EU regulation if any of you could get that from your national authorities. The Swedish Chemicals Agency says enamel is something that's applied to the surface, and solid glass beads can't be called enamel. I say enamel is glass, and does it have to be powder to begin with and applied on top of something else than glass? Here's a link to the regulation:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2012:252:0004:0006:EN:PDF
Thanks Noora for your research it was interesting reading. I wonder how many frit blends contain glass with lead in them. Hmm ???
Hi Noora, thanks for all the info. Janet
Quote from: Sarah A on January 03, 2013, 09:35:59 AM
Thanks Noora for your research it was interesting reading. I wonder how many frit blends contain glass with lead in them. Hmm ???
Too Many by the looks of that list. And a lot of my stash! >:( >:( Grrr...
Thanks for all your hard work on this Noora
Dear Noora
Thanks for all you work on this. I did email cim, but haven't heard anything back from them.
will try again
Julia
When I googled on CIM and lead content I found several who mentioned that they've asked, but nobody said anything about getting a reply :( Seems like it's hard to get answers from them ??? I hope you have better luck, Julia.
Since Reichenbach's list of colours didn't contain all of their lampwork glass, I sent an e-mail and asked. They replied swiftly and sent me a PDF. I wrote down which colours contain lead on my blog:
http://silvergrejs.blogspot.se/2013/01/lead-in-reichenbach-lampworking-glass.html
Thanks very much for that Noora, but did they tell you how much lead they contained?
I asked Bullseye via their forum and they said that they would get back to me. No answer from CIM. I also emailed Reichenbach but have heard nothing.
With these EU regs, the manufacturers, or the suppliers ought to be posting the info on their websites, otherwise we're all working from 'hearsay' and we actually need hard facts about this to enable us to keep legal.
I could imagine we could combine a bit of a high lead glass, with a lot of a low lead glass and keep the overall bead within the regulations.
No, they didn't say how much. But considering how little is allowed (0,05%) I'd say any lead is too much. Bullseye's MSDS for glass with lead content says they contain 1-10%. You'd have to "dilute" it very much to get down to 0,05% :(
I just hope they change the regulations, or that some court decides that glass and enamels are the same thing, so that the exception for enamels would be valid for glass too.
Hello Noora, I've had a very helpful email back from Kathy Seamands at CIM. Only one of their colours (Cranberry Pink) contains lead, and it contains such a lot that I think you could only use a tiny dot in a bead to keep within the regulations. I have an MSDS from her which I could email to you.
Julia
Oh thank you for getting that information! :) It would be great if you could e-mail me the MSDS. You can send it to info@silvergrejs.se