Calling all laptop/notebook users...

Hey everyone. I'm doing a research topic on environmental toxins and possible dangers for my senior college project. My interest is in the use of artificial grade stabilizers that contain lead and other hazardous particles which include the use on the plastic material in laptop battery cords and such. I'm trying to see if any more brands of laptops has the warning label that issues "lead" in their products. The warning is usually found in the early pages of the instruction manual/guide and sometimes can be found on an attached label/tag on the notebook battery or cord itself. So far I've been able to find that Toshiba (from my friend) has the warning and does indeed use it on their laptops battery cord packs.

The statement looks something like this via manual or the label on the battery pack/cord:

"WARNING: Handling the power cord on this product will expose you to lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. WASH HANDS AFTER HANDLING."

I assume that some or (even most) of the laptop brands have them, but some don't issue a warning because their manufacturering plant isn't in compliance with the state of California regulations (either they don't come out of California or something else--there are several legal propositions by law that enforces companies to put a warning on anything that uses the PVC material) So I'm just trying to gather some research data so I can put into my project.

Anyone else out there that has the warning in their manual/battery pack? If so, please help me by just telling me the brand and model (specific model # if you want). If not, you can state your info too and I'll try to rule out those brands. Thanks.

 

Almost every set of christmas lights carries the same lead warning, given it's the right season that might also be something to investigate =) I think almost every electronic component cord that has a full 120v current running through it will have the same lead warning because they all use basically the same PVC insulation material that uses lead (lead being corrosion-reistant, tough, and notoriuously low on the conductivity scale - see http://academickids.com/encyclopedia/l/le/lead.html) or similar toxic materials.

It's standard legal boilerplate to list that for any product that will be sold in California (any US product and some canadian products).

 

my former roommate had a keyboard that came with a lead warning. can't remember what brand though. something cheap and spillproof.

 

My ASUS W3V charger had that warning before I ripped it off it.

 

Indeed. What the label shows is actually the material (PVC) used [which contains a small amount of lead as a "stabilizer"] in the CORDS of the notebook battery pack that is the main concern and focus on my research. It seems the majority of appliances and cords have this material, but only California requires the warning. I am guessing that either most or some of the manufacturers have these labels because they are straight out of California, or they don't have the label but also use the material because they aren't in California.

So far I have gathered that Toshiba & Asus seem to have this label while HP/Compaq does not (as of yet)... In other words, maybe HP/Compaq do not use that specific PVC material or they just aren't required to put a label. However, Toshiba, for sure, does in fact require and use the material. I am just trying to figure out: either every single item uses this material; if not, what other material is used, and does location of the brand matter. That is the basis of what I'm trying to determine. But, thanks again.

Hmm...

 

Neither of my dell adaptors have that warning on them, but the warning may have been in the manual (long gone) or on the packaging itself (also long gone).

I think cheaper cords use lead-stabilized pvc while more expensive cords do not. The cord on these adaptors feels slick and rubbery versus the cord on my el cheapo 6000 desk lamp, which almost has a 'powdery' feel to it.