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Bird feeder contains lead!

16 years ago

I just purchased a copper plated bird feeder and found the following warning on the inside:

PROPOSITION 65 WARNING

This product contains lead, a substance known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects and other reproductive harm. To reduce the risk of exposure, wash your hands after handling.

Um - wouldn't that make it bad for the birds?? Of course my initial reaction is to return it, but I thought I'd see if anyone knows for sure whether the birds can safely feed from it.

Thanks,

Patti

Featured Answer

spedigrees z4VT

16 years ago

This is the inevitable result of extending permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) to China back in the late 1990s, combined with generations of continuing de-regulation in our own country.

40,000 pets were poisoned with melamine by an estimate of a California veterinarian. I have not fed commercial petfood to my pets since April of 2008, and never will again as long as components of every brand on the market are made in China. (US law does not require that countries of origin for wheat gluten and other such composite ingredients be disclosed on labels.)

The scarey part is that many more birdfeeders, kids toys and other items probably contain lead and other toxins. Good for your state for their stringent disclosure law, but a pity they allow these products to be sold. My state (Vermont) has cracked down on some products from China with lead, but I'm sure many more products have escaped their oversight. I worry about the plastic hummingbird feeders and petfood bowls (to say nothing of dishware for human use) that I am using, but not sure what I could replace them with that might be safer.

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Comments (10)

Elly_NJ
16 years ago
Return it.
bbcathy
16 years ago
Absolutely and then shame them for selling it!!! Gees
Cathy
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lisa11310
16 years ago
And don't forget to give the manufacturer a good thrashing too! Was it made in China?
pkthomas
Original Author
16 years ago
Yep, it was made in China. I guess if they're okay with poisoning our kids (lead-tainted toys) then we can't expect them to care about our birds.

I'm sending an email to the MN DNR and to Lowe's. I think they should recall them.

Patti
sowngrow (8a) G
16 years ago
Good for you for checking the label. We need to be vigilant as many products out of China contain lead. Wouldn't think so in this day and age, but it's happening...
catherinet
16 years ago
Its really, really hard to find many things NOT made in China.
I never buy things I eat off of from China.
And its hard to trust any manufacturer/supplier anymore, about being honest about anything!
:(
sowngrow (8a) G
16 years ago
When stories about lead in products made in China, started coming out, I bought lead testing kits at Home Depot and checked the plastic plates and a couple other things I already owned, for lead. None were positive. If you have any other bird feeders you're not sure about, the lead testing kits are an option.
User
16 years ago
Proposition 65 ... one of the biggest wastes of label space I can think of.

"While the intent of Prop 65 was to "inform" consumers, the impact of warnings under the Act has been a proliferation of meaningless warnings. Virtually every business has some sort of Prop 65 warning sign posted, and innumerable products are labeled with the warning. From gas stations to hotels, from grocery stores to hardware stores, consumers are deluged with warnings that they are being exposed to unnamed carcinogens and reproductive toxins. They are not told either the degree of exposure or the likelihood that they may actually be impacted by it. Moreover, because the risks to business of not providing a warning, many provide a warning even though they donÂt actually know whether an exposure is occurring, or even if the exposure is trivial, further diluting the meaning of warnings to consumers."
chinamigarden
16 years ago
Brass has lead in it. Virtually all of your plumbing fixtures are brass. Virtually all of them have prop 65 warnings.

Lazygardens has it right

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