Can I get lead poisoning from crystal glass?

Dear Readers,  

Don’t lead your concerns dim your sparkle—it’s time to talk some crystal-clear facts about lead. 

For centuries, lead has been used in the glass-making process to make “crystal glass” that sparkles and shines. However, some companies, including Swarovski, have removed all lead from their products in recent years because of health regulations.  

Although lead is very toxic, especially for children, the risk of lead exposure from crystal glass is very low. That’s because glass tends to keep lead tightly locked in its chemical structure, so it doesn’t leak out. However, there’s a slightly greater risk of lead transfer in crystal glass products that hold liquids for human consumption, like a liquor decanter. Luckily, you can take steps to protect your health by using the decanter only for serving (not storage) and rinsing it with vinegar before your first use.  

Can you be exposed to lead through crystal beads?  

There’s no need to throw out your beading box too quickly—Swarovski beads have been lead-free since 2012. You’re correct that in the past Swarovski crystal beads contained 32 percent lead at one point, which gave the beads their brightness and shine. However, the company redesigned their chemical formula, so now their crystals are sparkling without the toxic sidekick. 

Can you be exposed to lead through crystal glassware? 

Although lead glassware typically doesn’t pose too much of a risk to human health, there are some concerns when it comes to glassware used to store beverages. When glass is exposed to an acidic liquid (like liquor), there’s a risk of lead leaching from the glass into the liquid. The risk increases with the length of time that the glass is exposed, higher temperatures, and a larger surface area. 

Since 2006, the European Union has required manufacturers of lead-based glass to prove their risk-management practices in order to be authorized to sell their products. Because of these regulations, many glass-makers now treat the glass’s surface to limit lead release.  

What are some of the dangers of lead exposure?  

Your concerns about lead are well-founded—lead poisoning is very dangerous, and since 2019 the World Health Organization (WHO) has considered there to be no “safe” level of lead exposure. The symptoms of lead poisoning can be difficult to identify and vary widely, but might include headaches, vomiting, abdominal pain, and weakness.  

Chronic lead exposure puts you at a higher risk for serious health complications, including:  

• Neurological disturbances, including depression, irritability, muscle weakness, impaired hearing, lethargy, tremors, and convulsions.
• Anemia
• Kidney dysfunction
• Hypertension
• Stroke
• Damage to the immune system
• Damage to the reproductive organs 

List adapted from the World Health Organization  

Lead exposure is particularly dangerous for children, especially because they tend to absorb four to five times more lead than adults. Lead can impact a child’s brain development and has been linked to behavioral changes, learning difficulties, delayed speech development, and aggression.  

How can you reduce the risk of lead exposure from crystal glassware?  

Government regulations and industry practices have been pretty effective at managing many health risks, but there are still some steps that you can take at home to protect yourself when you’re using your decanter. For example, you could:  

• Consider using your decanter only for serving liquor, rather than storing it.
• Consider using the decanter only for special occasions.
• Soak your glassware in vinegar for 24 hours before its first use to pull out any of the lead nearer to the surface that would potentially leach out. Giving the glassware a thorough rinse after this soak makes sure that it’s free of all the vinegar and left-over particles when you use it.
• Prevent surface damage by washing it by hand with a mild detergent and a soft cloth, since leaching is more likely when the glass surface is scratched or wears down.
• Refrain from using crystal glassware when serving children or pregnant people because of the heightened risk that lead poisoning poses to these groups.  

List adapted from Health Canada  

Hopefully some of these changes can help you sparkle without stress. But with more companies going lead-free, there’s plenty of brilliant substitutes out there if you want to use your crystal glassware for decoration rather than drinking.  

Cheers!