hardware cloth contains lead?

I am going to be doing construction on our wooden shed this weekend to turn it into a chicken coop. I will be adding a large run to one side. I was planning on covering the run with hardware cloth to prevent predators. We have bears, foxes, coyotes and snakes and more here! When I was at the store I noticed that all hardware cloth has a warning on it about it containing LEAD! It says to wear gloves and protection while handling it. Everyone uses this stuff for gardens and animals and pets, around things we eat! I don't want my animals or my children or myself to be exposed to large amounts of lead. Is there an alternative material? Has anyone researched this? I am assuming the lead is in the sauder that connects the joints only as the actual metal use dis galvanized steel or aluminum? I showed the gentleman at the store the warning label and he was surprised and concerned as he uses it for his garden. He had never noticed this warning label before either. I would love some advice in this. I know most of us are trying to do things as natural and healthy as possible!

FLminifarm said:

I don't want my animals or my children or myself to be exposed to large amounts of lead.

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"All things are poison and nothing (is) without poison; only the dose makes that a thing is no poison." -- Paracelsus (1493-1541)

Those warnings are placed on products that contain any lead at all. I do not have a solid source for hardware cloth specifically, but my logic would say that there is most likely a very small amount since it is used in the "hot dip" process of galvanizing the wire mesh. It is not a large part of the actual structure, but just a small component of the liquid bath that they dip the wire into to galvanize it.

Here is a quote related to plumbing pipes, which would be of much greater concern since they have your drinking water running thru them 24/7/365.

"Historical research documents that the grade of zinc typically used for galvanizing contains a minimum of 0.5% lead and can itself be a significant long-term source of lead, which may explain some recent lead contamination problems associated with galvanized steel. Surface analysis of various galvanized steel pipes and fittings installed from 1950 to 2008 demonstrated that the concentration of lead in the original zinc coating can range from nondetect to nearly 2%, dependent on the manufacturer and fitting type."

I think as long as you are not using the hardware cloth as a dinner plate each night, you will be ok! Just my 2 cents!

EDIT TO ADD ONE MORE EXAMPLE: I Googled around and found at least one person who gave some numbers.

"We have a content of 0.11% Pb in our zinc kettle. Due to new restrictions, we have to lower our Pb content to 0.05% Pb".

If you can assume that those numbers are about average, there is at most less than 1/10th of 1 percent lead in the dip solution, and the vast majority of that is going to stay in the kettle, not on your fencing.

I recently purchased a roll of galvanized "hot dipped" hardware cloth off Amazon that had a competitive price compared to the local big-box stores, intending to cover my raised beds to protect the fruits of my labor from the critters. When I received it I noticed that not only did it have a Prop65 warning but it had warnings specifically about lead stating to wear gloves & wash hands after handling. I too have used hardware cloth for years, on my homemade chicken coop and a compost trommel sifter. I first became aware of prop65 warnings when I lived in Texas and noticed them on paints & other products I purchased. After moving to California I became more aware of them through their appearance on supplements & health food products. I see that a lot of people and industry specifically like to poopoo Prop65. However, the more research I do into it the more grateful for Prop65 I become. I know this original post is from 2016, but so is this research paper on the subject

There is no safe threshold for lead exposure: Α literature review​

"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27837574/

Needless to say I will not be using this cloth on my garden beds as I had intended, or for anything else.

This is really interesting, and I too would like to minimize any sources of lead that could impact my family's health. In light of this information, I will be more careful in my handling of hardware cloth.

That said, there's no way around using hardware cloth for chickens, to protect them from death due to predators and death due to inadequate ventilation.

Pragmatically, we have to choose the route that takes the longest time to get to death.

Prop 65 is worse than worthless, it tells you nothing about the dosage, so you can REASONABLY evaluate risk. Companies put Prop 65 warnings on things sold in CA out of an abundance of caution to avoid the expense of litigation.

Slap a Prop 65 Sticker on your ___. The human body is full of chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer or reproductive harm, and it generates yet more chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer or reproductive harm, as part of the processes which keep said human body alive.

When everything carries - or should carry - a prop 65 warning, including your body, your organic fair trade coffee (black) in its reuseable container, your morning whole wheat toast (no butter), and your fried organic free range egg - the warning ceases to have any useful meaning.

maryif said:

Needless to say I will not be using this cloth on my garden beds as I had intended, or for anything else.

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Why? It's the same stuff you already have out. If you won't use this stuff, you should be removing the stuff you already have. There's no difference between the new and old stuff. Same hot dipping process.