KSDK, the NBC TV affiliate in St. Louis, aired a special report on May 9, entitled "Lead Found in Household Items" featuring inflammatory statements regarding lead & glass/ceramic tableware. Lead check swabs were used to identify glass & ceramicware with lead-bearing decorations sold at retail. Viewers were advised to purchase swabs for use in their homes. The station referred to FDA & CPSC regulations & did note that the tableware in question violated no federal standards. As is usually the case when such stories are aired, a testing lab conducted tests only for the presence of lead, not the appropriate tests for lead release from tableware. SGCD only learned of this story after it was aired. As previously noted, local TV stations often broadcast stories originally reported by broadcasters in other markets, & it is possible the story was generated in this manner.
