I have put several lead-crystal decanters into storage because I was told that the alcohol leaches the lead from the glass and is therefore not safe for liquor. True or false? The key here is time ...

Glass and crystal both start as a transparent material that is made from natural materials including sand, limestone, and soda ash. Crystal, however, also has lead oxide, barium oxide, zinc oxide ...

Glassware (traditional soda-lime glass) contains about 50 percent silica (sand) and no lead. Crystal contains at least 24 percent lead. That is the basic distinction between crystal and glass.