Is it worth it to return a soaker hose that has lead content? Getting to be indecisive!1

[UTUSN]

So this one place had one with the label outside clearly saying it had lead content. So the next store had nothing in sight on the outside of the label about lead content, just said it was recycled rubber and not to drink from it. It was almost the same price.

Only at home with the fasteners cut off was the warning about lead visible on the back of the label. And it said to wash hands after handling it, just like the first store's thing.

Google shows lead content is widespread in garden hoses. We're talking $9, but the added worry and just having it around. What are the realistic risks, is it anything or not.

[Major Nikon]

1. I'm guessing the lead comes from solder used during construction

As long as you don't drink from it, there's pretty much zero risk (not sure why anyone would want to drink out of a soaker hose anyway). Even if you did drink out of it, you can let the water run for 30 seconds or more and the lead content in the water drops to near zero. When I'm drinking out of a water fountain or water faucet, I always let the water run for a few seconds. Small lead particles often get trapped in the strainer, and will give off a lot more lead when the water is first turned on after having been left off for a while.

[UTUSN]

2. Thanks. Won't be drinking out of it, but the washing hands after handling

Last edited Sat Jun 2, 2012, 10:44 PM - Edit history (2)

is my focus. Probably my regular hose has already had the lead all these years and I never knew it. Sounds like you're saying it's not a big worry and I'm ready to go with that.



[font size=5]On Edit: I returned that hose and found another store that had one lead FREE and made in USA not China!1 I love this Editing capacity of being able to do it anytime and NOT kicking a thread with a new post that kicks a thread that has served its purpose.

2nd Edit (woo-HOO!1) The leaf logo says "element" and the hose is SoakerPro and it says "Lead Free/Eco Safe" in two places on the label. The company is Colorite Plastics Company, Ridgefield, NJ[/font]

[KT2000]

3. glad you did that

eturning items is about all the power we have to show what kind of products we want. I return anything that does not work - no matter how inexpensive. Companies make lots of money off of products that don't even work.

Good to see there is a no lead hose available.

[baldguy]

4. My firstthought was "Why the hell would a hose have lead in it?"

Of course: Because it's made in China.

[UTUSN]

5. Google says most of them that are recycled contain PVC as stabilizer

and that's where the lead comes in, not from the metal fittings (or in addition to the metal fittings).

[rug]

6. I must say, I enjoy following the twists and turns of your life.

I would have returned the hose too, or at least given it to my loud neighbor.

[UTUSN]

7. Gosh, thanks. I'm erratic and sometimes irritate even myself.

I love that DU3 allows me to get a handle on my worst infractions by locking myself. And I've always deeply appreciated every time finding this, that other, or another DUer with a generous comprehension and largeness of tolerance.

Although I'll never understand why I can spend 45 minutes writing, editing, highlighting one of my non-erratic posts and those go down the drain in the wink of an eye, while any of my outbursts takes on a life of its own.

[OriginalGeek]

8. So if I had a hose with lead in it

and i used it to water my garden would I be risking lead in my veggies?


That's kind of maddening.


I just bought some buckets to start growing some squash and tomatoes and maybe a couple herbs to see how it goes and was in the market for an irrigation hose but I haven't started looking at the stores yet...I think my job just got harder.

Or is a soaker hose not the same thing I will be looking for?

[UTUSN]

9. This soaker provides options of either laying on top of ground or burying it

Is burying it what you do with irrigation? There was one at Lowe's that has holes on one side only, with Up being for sprinking and Down being for soaking.

And, as much of a fuss I kick up about everything, it all comes down to just reading the labels, Googling, and shopping around. Also, calling the label's 800-numbers to ask when the information isn't clear.

Every time I get a new product target, I get all in a tizzy and tie myself in knots. When I didn't want all-cotton ballcaps I went days and weeks Googling and found out that there are the said ballcaps, truckers' caps, Elmer Fudd caps, and hundreds of sites to find them all. A bit, um, obsessive?!1


I post some of these things in Louge because I don't go to the specialty forums and Lounge always has experts on everything and you never know what direction things will take.

[OriginalGeek]

10. well we just got back from Lowes

and we ended up getting this tubing that is not a soaker or irrigation hose on its own - we'll set up our buckets and then run the tubing so it passes over each one then we got a tool that punctures the hose and some little things that go into the hole and that sprinkles water into the buckets. We got a programmable timer that goes on the spigot and the hose goes to that so this turns on the water at whatever times we program.

I guess we'll see how it goes.

[One_Life_To_Give]

11. Trace amounts in PVC

I think the warning is BS. There is a trace amount of lead given off from PVC surfaces. Such as when you handle electrical cords, our old toys etc. Only recently has it been determined that the minute amount that one might pick up plugging in the vacuum cleaner is supposedly a major health concern. Millions of us kids drank water from those same hoses. Not saying to let your kids do that. But just using it for watering plants won't harm a thing.