Proposition 65, also known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, requires that a business selling products that contain certain identified chemicals post the following warning:
WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including lead, which is known to the state of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
Brass is an alloy made mainly of copper and zinc. Just about every decorative brass item contains some traces of lead in it. Lead aids in the machinability of brass and increases its strength and resistance to corrosion. The addition of lead also seals shrinkage pores to provide pressure tightness. All of our cabinet hardware is also lacquered and sealed to prevent any rapid aging. Proper care and cleaning of hardware, as per our care instructions provided on the product page of each item, will help the finish stay consistent and last a long time.
In addition, even if our brass was not sealed in this manner, lead poses a health risk only if it is capable of being either inhaled or ingested – neither of which is possible when the material is simply in its solid form. Consequently, lead poses a risk only if it is heated to the point of vaporization (which doesn’t occur below 3,180 degrees Fahrenheit) or present in small enough particles to be ingested, which is not terribly likely even if children were to chew on it.