Kitchen and Housewares

Many people in Canada are unaware of the potential dangers associated with cookware and utensils. Some of these products are unsafe and may release harmful substances into food or drinks that are cooked or served from them.

On this page:

• Cookware
• Dishes and Glassware

In this section you can read about products that may contain harmful substances, such as lead and cadmium. Lead may be present in some cookware items and utensils. Lead can make you very sick if too much is absorbed by your body. Never buy an item used for cooking unless you are sure the product is safe to use.

Cookware

Most cookware found in Canada, such as pots and pans, are quite safe for everyday use, as long as they are used as intended and well-maintained. However, there are some products, such as kettles and other cookware that make their way onto the Canadian marketplace that have the potential to release materials harmful to health into the food we eat.

Health Canada works to ensure that all cookware is safe for use by regulating and monitoring certain products to make sure that they do not release harmful materials into the food that is cooked and served from them.

Read more about cookware below:

• It's Your Health - The Safe Use of Cookware
• Hazardous Products (Kettles) Regulations
• Product Safety Laboratory (PSL) Test Method for the Determination of leachable lead in kettles
• Consumer Information: Lead in Moroccan Tagines

Dishes and Glassware

Dishes, glassware and earthenware are common items found in Canadian homes. For many years, glazes containing lead oxide were used on ceramics when they were manufactured to give these products a smooth, glassy surface free of blemishes. Bright yellow glazes may also contain cadmium.

In some glazed ceramics, small amounts of lead and cadmium in the glaze may be released into food. Both lead and cadmium are toxic heavy metals and can cause serious health problems, especially in children.

Health Canada sets strict limits on the amounts of lead and cadmium released from glazed ceramics and glassware when used for cooking or serving food and beverages.

Read more about lead and cadmium in glazed ceramics below:

• Bringing Consumer Products into Canada
• It's Your Health - Lead Crystalware
• Consumer Information: Lead in Moroccan Tagines
• Glazed Ceramics and Glassware Regulations - Dealer Information 
• Product Safety Lab - Test method for Determination of leachable lead and cadmium from glazed ceramics and glassware
• Hazardous Products (Glazed Ceramics and Glassware) Regulations
• Stakeholder notification letter