Decorated glassware may look pretty, but they are also a health hazard, a study has revealed. The study showed that the paint used on the glass can contain potentially toxic levels of lead and cadmium, thereby increasing health risks. The findings showed that in enameled drinking glasses, flakes of paint often come off, which could be ingested over a prolonged period and prove hazardous for human health.
For the study, researchers at the University of Plymouth carried out 197 tests on 72 new- and second-hand drinking glass products, including tumblers, beer and wine glasses, and jars. They found lead present in 139 cases and cadmium in 134, both on the surface of the glasses and, in some cases, on the rims, with concentrations of lead sometimes more than 1,000 times higher than the safe limit. "The presence of hazardous elements in both the paint and glaze of decorated glassware has…
