New national standard promotes development of hardware industry

Since July last year, the "lead faucet exceeds the standard" issue has become a hot topic, causing public concern and raising questions about the safety of faucet production. In response, the National Federation of Industrial and Commercial Sanitary Ware Committee in collaboration with the United Nations Home Building Materials Testing Center organized field visits to leading plumbing hardware companies across China in early September. This initiative aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the current state of copper and stainless steel faucet production from both domestic and international brands.

Experts from well-known companies such as Lu Da, Jiu Mu, Zhong Yu, Shen Lu Da, and Brilliant Plumbing explained that copper and lead often coexist naturally. Pure copper is rare, and a small amount of lead is typically added during the manufacturing process to enhance the machinability of brass. Without lead, faucets would be difficult to cut and forge, and could even crack due to poor stress corrosion resistance. Xie Xin, Secretary-General of the All-China Federation of Industrial and Commercial Sanitary Ware Committees, emphasized that under normal use, copper faucets are nearly harmless. The lead exposure from daily life is within safe limits, and the lead leaching from faucets during water flow is negligible. “The fear of lead poisoning from faucets is a myth,” he said.

Hong Guangming, General Manager of Shenluda Group, noted that in developed countries like Europe and the U.S., brass is widely used for its antibacterial properties, which other materials such as stainless steel or plastic lack. Zhu Jianhong, Deputy General Manager of Luda Group, highlighted that China leads globally in the production and research of low-lead copper, with the world's largest manufacturing base for this material. Lin Hsiao-fat, Chairman of Jiumu Kitchen, pointed out that while stainless steel faucets may not contain lead, they can have elements like nickel, chromium, and manganese. Excessive amounts of these metals can also pose health risks. Cai Yu, CEO of Zhongyu Sanitary Co., Ltd., clarified that completely lead-free copper faucets do not exist in reality. The term "lead-free" in the market actually refers to low-lead faucets, which require higher standards in materials, technology, and electroplating processes, and only strong enterprises can meet them.

In 2014, the National Building Materials Industry Construction Hardware Plumbing Product Quality Supervision, Inspection and Testing Center introduced a new version of GB 18145, replacing the 2003 edition, titled "Ceramic Sealed Tap." This updated standard included strict requirements for the precipitation of 17 heavy metals, aligning it with the North American NSF61 standard. Cai Shizhan, Deputy General Manager of Brilliant Plumbing, stated that all major Chinese sanitary ware companies were involved in developing this standard. Only 30–35% of medium and large enterprises met the new requirements, while many smaller firms faced elimination. The new national standard is expected to significantly drive the industry forward by promoting safer and more advanced production practices.