John Baymore on sat 24 apr 99
------------------
(snip)
. . .. .. .. .. .. . .............. Another person on this thread
wrote a possible scenario laying the steps showing how a pot could go
through many hands and lose the toxic glaze warning. My suggestion is to
label the bottom of the pot functional or
non-functional. ........... ..... . . . . . . . .
(clip)
Gayle,
Great thought. You cut right to the chase quickly.
Maybe the wording should be something like =22Not for Food Use=22.
=22Non-functional=22 to many people might be sort of meaningless. ie
=22Darn...... I don't know what that =22non-functional=22 thing on the =
bottom
means.... this cup holds my coffee just fine=21=22 =3Cg=3E
It goes a little further than this though. If a glaze contains lead or
cadmium there are Federal (and also State of California) standards that
apply to the labeling of the fired pieces in designating them as
non-functional and not for food use. It involves highly specific things
like size of lettering and so on. If you use these types of glazes (even
if they are commercial preparations) you should contact the FDA to get
copies of the laws.
There are many handcraft-type potters violating the Federal standards
either by failing to adequately test wares or by failing to label non-food
items correctly (or at all). I think it is only a matter of time before
the FDA seriously targets this issue. That would probably be bad for the
sale of handcrafted pottery in general........ because the ensuing =
=22scare=22
in the mass media would make consumers a bit wary of ALL handcrafted
pieces. We need to police ourselves before someone else does it for us.
This subject came up a year or so ago and I mentioned this in detail then:
A while back the FDA went to the NH Potter's Guild and obtained the
membership list. (This created an outcry from many members who felt
=22violated=22.) The FDA sent a questionare to all members that involved
detailed questions about production methods, dollar volume produced, glaze
formulas, and so on. They went around to a number of members and purchased
wares to be tested.
They ARE out there. (Sound like a quote from Muldar =3Cg=3E.)
Even on suspect glazes to which there are no published release =
=22standards=22
maybe like saturated manganese black/purples and the like (yet), I think we
should take the personal responsibility to either not use them on anything
that even remotely could be used for food, or we should voluntarily label
them in some permanent fashion. Not really such a big deal. Get a black
=22potters ink pad=22 and a small rubber stamp that says =22Not for Food =
Use=22.
Slap it on an inconspicious (sp?) place like the bottom it sits on. Quick
and simple.
Good suggestion, Gayle=21 Thanks.
Best,
......................john
=22who has some beautiful barium blue smoking guns lurking out there from =
his
uneducated college days=22
John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086 USA
603-654-2752
JBaymore=40Compuserve.com
Pamala Browne on sun 25 apr 99
I will tell you guys of a wealthy woman I know who was using some very
pretty little bowls for sauces at the table.I admired them and being a
potter turned them over to see if there was a makers mark. Printed in black
and white, on a label,VERY legible was the warning--GLAZE CONTAINS LEAD---
NOT FOR FOOD USE.I pointed this out to her and she just shrugged and said
she bought them for sauces!!!! So, some people just don't get it , all we
can do as responsible people is put the warning there.
-----Original Message-----
From: John Baymore
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Saturday, April 24, 1999 7:25 PM
Subject: Poisonous materials (yet again)
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
------------------
(snip)
. . .. .. .. .. .. . .............. Another person on this thread
wrote a possible scenario laying the steps showing how a pot could go
through many hands and lose the toxic glaze warning. My suggestion is to
label the bottom of the pot functional or
non-functional. ........... ..... . . . . . . . .
(clip)
Gayle,
Great thought. You cut right to the chase quickly.
Maybe the wording should be something like "Not for Food Use".
"Non-functional" to many people might be sort of meaningless. ie
"Darn...... I don't know what that "non-functional" thing on the bottom
means.... this cup holds my coffee just fine!"
It goes a little further than this though. If a glaze contains lead or
cadmium there are Federal (and also State of California) standards that
apply to the labeling of the fired pieces in designating them as
non-functional and not for food use. It involves highly specific things
like size of lettering and so on. If you use these types of glazes (even
if they are commercial preparations) you should contact the FDA to get
copies of the laws.
There are many handcraft-type potters violating the Federal standards
either by failing to adequately test wares or by failing to label non-food
items correctly (or at all). I think it is only a matter of time before
the FDA seriously targets this issue. That would probably be bad for the
sale of handcrafted pottery in general........ because the ensuing "scare"
in the mass media would make consumers a bit wary of ALL handcrafted
pieces. We need to police ourselves before someone else does it for us.
This subject came up a year or so ago and I mentioned this in detail then:
A while back the FDA went to the NH Potter's Guild and obtained the
membership list. (This created an outcry from many members who felt
"violated".) The FDA sent a questionare to all members that involved
detailed questions about production methods, dollar volume produced, glaze
formulas, and so on. They went around to a number of members and purchased
wares to be tested.
They ARE out there. (Sound like a quote from Muldar .)
Even on suspect glazes to which there are no published release "standards"
maybe like saturated manganese black/purples and the like (yet), I think we
should take the personal responsibility to either not use them on anything
that even remotely could be used for food, or we should voluntarily label
them in some permanent fashion. Not really such a big deal. Get a black
"potters ink pad" and a small rubber stamp that says "Not for Food Use".
Slap it on an inconspicious (sp?) place like the bottom it sits on. Quick
and simple.
Good suggestion, Gayle! Thanks.
Best,
......................john
"who has some beautiful barium blue smoking guns lurking out there from his
uneducated college days"
John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086 USA
603-654-2752
JBaymore@Compuserve.com
Larry Phillips on mon 26 apr 99
Pamala Browne wrote:
> So, some people just don't get it , all we can do as responsible
> people is put the warning there.
Well, there is one other thing we can do, and that is to not use unsafe
glazes on anything that could be used for food, keeping them for the
things that clearly can't be used for food.
I'm not saying you should do this, but it _IS_ another alternative.
--
---------------------------------------------------------------
I like deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound of them
as they go flying by.
http://cr347197-a.surrey1.bc.wave.home.com/larry/
Gavin Stairs on tue 27 apr 99
At 10:19 AM 4/25/99 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I will tell you guys of a wealthy woman I know who was using some very
>pretty little bowls for sauces at the table.I admired them and being a
>potter turned them over to see if there was a makers mark. Printed in black
>and white, on a label,VERY legible was the warning--GLAZE CONTAINS LEAD---
>NOT FOR FOOD USE.I pointed this out to her and she just shrugged and said
>she bought them for sauces!!!! So, some people just don't get it , all we
>can do as responsible people is put the warning there.
Not so: you can make sure that an unsafe pot is not functionally useful by
punching holes in it, so it doesn't work as a container. Or not use the
dangerous glaze in the first place. If that woman (or her guests) were to
become ill from use of those pots, the potter might find that a simple
warning lable is no protection against a law suit.
Gavin
Martin Howard on wed 28 apr 99
Larry says
Well, there is one other thing we can do, and that is to not use unsafe
glazes on anything that could be used for food, keeping them for the
things that clearly can't be used for food.
Yes, but let's extend that a little to anything from which humans, birds
or animals, eat or drink. There have been many odd cases of death and
illness amongst wildlife and our pets. I sometimes wonder if old
birdbaths and suchlike, glazed inside with lead glaze might be
responsible.
Martin Howard
Webbs Cottage Pottery and Press
Woolpits Road, Great Saling
BRAINTREE
Essex CM7 5DZ
01371 850 423
araneajo@gn.apc.org
Pamala Browne on thu 29 apr 99
Guys, you must understand that these pots with unsafe glazes are coming from
another country--at least the ones I've seen.They are marked.How do you find
the potter in Italy or Mexico or wherever to file a law suit??You don't.
Again, education is the clincher,a potter tells the p
----- Original Message -----
From: Gavin Stairs
To:
Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 1999 4:50 AM
Subject: Re: Poisonous materials (yet again)
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> At 10:19 AM 4/25/99 EDT, you wrote:
> >----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> >I will tell you guys of a wealthy woman I know who was using some very
> >pretty little bowls for sauces at the table.I admired them and being a
> >potter turned them over to see if there was a makers mark. Printed in
black
> >and white, on a label,VERY legible was the warning--GLAZE CONTAINS
LEAD---
> >NOT FOR FOOD USE.I pointed this out to her and she just shrugged and said
> >she bought them for sauces!!!! So, some people just don't get it , all we
> >can do as responsible people is put the warning there.
>
> Not so: you can make sure that an unsafe pot is not functionally useful by
> punching holes in it, so it doesn't work as a container. Or not use the
> dangerous glaze in the first place. If that woman (or her guests) were to
> become ill from use of those pots, the potter might find that a simple
> warning lable is no protection against a law suit.
>
> Gavin
>
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