What is lead?

Lead is a heavy metal. Lead compounds are used as a pigment in paints, dyes, and ceramic glazes to provide bright and vibrant colours and to provide increased durability.

Lead stabilizers are sometimes added to PVC compounds to prevent degradation from heat and light, and to improve processing properties.

 

What is lead testing?

Lead testing allows you to see how much lead content is in a product. Eurofins | BLC can carry out lead testing in a large range of substrates including leather, textile, metal, synthetics, glass, plastic, and rubber.

 

Why test for lead in your products?

Lead is a highly toxic substance, exposure to which can produce a wide range of adverse health effects.

Lead and lead compounds are reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens based on evidence of carcinogenicity from stud­ies in humans and sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in experimental animals.

 

Lead is covered under many EU and International legislations including:

  • REACH, California Proposition 65
  • Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse (TPCH)
  • Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)
  • Toy Safety Directive (TSD)
  • China GB Standards and RoHS regulations

 

Information and advice about the legislation related to lead are available free to all Eurofins | BLC Members.

 

Eurofins | BLC Membership Benefits

How long does lead testing take?    

Service

Turnaround Time

Price

Standard

5 working days

£Quotation

Express

3 working days

£Quotation + 50%

 

Eurofins | BLC Chemical Testing & Analysis

Chemical testing and analysis are conducted at Eurofins | BLC's internationally accredited chemical testing laboratory based in the UK, which is accredited by UKAS (0076), ILAC and CPSC (1049) for BS, EN and ISO standards, including ISO 17025. 

At Eurofins | BLC, we offer one of the fastest chemical testing turnaround times in Europe, with faster lead-time options available on selected routine chemical testing.

Below is a list of our most popular chemical tests:

 

Please read our testing terms and conditions.

 

Lead testing at Eurofins | BLC

There are a number of different test methods for lead content, dependent on for which legislation you are testing. There are, essentially, two principles of testing: Total Content and Extractable Content:

 

Total Content

Samples are ground/cut and placed in acid, and then microwave digested followed by ICP-MS analysis. Looks for the total content of heavy metals.

 

Extractable Content

Looks for the heavy metals which are mobile within the product through extraction either in sweat or acid solution followed by ICP-MS analysis.

Eurofins | BLC Provide Leading Chemical Testing Services for Consumer Products

At Eurofins | BLC, chemical testing is carried out in an internationally accredited testing laboratory, which holds accreditations from UKAS (0076), CPSC (1049) and ILAC.

Eurofins | BLC are proud to work with a wide variety of organisations around the world from chemical companies and product manufacturers to brands and retailers, testing a diverse range of consumer products. Customers of Eurofins | BLC benefit from fast testing turnaround times and one of the highest levels of customer service in the industry.

To ensure that Eurofins | BLC delivers some of the most accurate results in the industry, we regularly participate in proficiency testing programmes

 

For chemical testing services, Eurofins | BLC provide:

  • Chemical testing at an internationally accredited testing laboratory in the UK
  • Competitive pricing
  • Fast chemical testing turnaround times - most test results available within 4-5 days working days
  • Both the testing and the understanding of the results provided
  • In the event of a failure, our chemical specialists can talk you through the results and provide recommendations for improvement
  • A comprehensive and easy to understand test report
  • Technical back up and support from chemical testing experts
  • Chemical compliance and product safety training courses for your staff

 

Become a Eurofins | BLC Member and access:

  • Discounted chemical testing prices
  • Access to advanced chemical support through Eurofins | BLC's technical concierge service

 

View Eurofins | BLC Membership Benefits

 

Our Accreditations

Eurofins | BLC holds accreditations from UKAS and CPSC and has auditors approved to carry out LWG audits. Trust Eurofins | BLC to deliver some of the most accurate test results in the industry.

View our Accreditations

Testimonials

"I just wanted to say a big thanks for 2 great days of leather education last week."

IKEA

Sweden

"Membership allowed us to use the expertise of Eurofins | BLC to improve our suppliers' environmental performance."

Clarks International

United Kingdom

"Smart chemical testing of wet blue saves our business time and money."

Casino Hide Tanners

Australia

"I enjoyed the combination of theoretical and practical training on the 4-day leather course."

Asos

United Kingdom

“10 years of Eurofins | BLC Membership has enabled us to provide continuous assurance of product quality and safety, giving our customers greater confidence in our products.”

ScS

United Kingdom

"I became a Member to take advantage their specification building services and 1-2-1 regulatory advice."

Gheli International

India

"We thought every part of the Eurofins | BLC leather course was very informative and interesting."

John Lewis Partnership

United Kingdom

"Eurofins | BLC Membership allows us to develop innovative high quality raw materials in order to continue our product improvement programme."

Mulberry

United Kingdom

"All parts of the leather training course were relevant and very informative. I now have a new appreciation for leather!"

Ralph Lauren

United States of America

"We were very impressed by the speaker on the leather training course who had excellent knowledge of the subject."

Next

United Kingdom

"Through Eurofins | BLC Membership, we have access to technical support for leather product testing, helping us to provide more efficient services to our customers."

William Lamb

United Kingdom

"I enjoyed all of the leather course as a chemist I wanted to understand the whole process of making leather."

Smit & zoon

Netherlands

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Contact Eurofins | BLC to discuss your enquiry with friendly and helpful experts and to get a quotation. For Eurofins | BLC to receive your enquiry, you must complete all 3 sections of the contact form below. To receive the Technical Update email, you simply need to complete this form. Eurofins | BLC aim to respond to all enquiries within 24 hours Monday to Friday.

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