Dear mother no why? Why does the Home Depot garden hoose have 6.8% led in it ...
All these small environmental dangers add up. And they are so hard to keep track of. I would never suspect a water hoose to contain led. Let alone 6.8%.
Yep. The best part is: I loved drinking from green hoses as a kid (maybe it explains a lot about me now). Even when the hose was left in the sun, the water always tasted like a cool mountain spring...because lead has a sweet taste to it. I assume this also explains why small children eat leaded paint chips, and dogs love puddles of [unleaded] antifreeze runoff (they say they changed the formula, but it looks and smells inviting to me).
The dangers really are hard to keep track of. It's too easy to blame the consumer (didn't you read the packaging for your new garden hose?). Now the threat is plastics, which requires a materials science degree to understand as a consumer.
For decades, lead compounds have been used as processing stabilizers in PVC, which has spread the shit everywhere. Hoses, electrical cords, and vinyl window blinds have historically been big sources.
Things started changing in the 2000's when companies started seeking compliance with E.U REACH and RoHS regulations. Garden hoses are now largely lead free, as are blinds, but electrical cords have taken longer to switch over.
All these small environmental dangers add up. And they are so hard to keep track of. I would never suspect a water hoose to contain led. Let alone 6.8%.