While our brass does in fact contain approximately 2.5% lead to aid machinability, it is in a solid matrix with the copper and zinc that make up the brass and is entirely encapsulated by a clear coating comprised of acrylics and urethane solids (plastics).
In addition, even if our brass was not covered in the clear coat, lead poses a health risk only if it is capable of being either inhaled or ingested – neither of which is possible when the material is simply in its solid form. Consequently, lead poses a risk only if it is heated to the point of vaporization (which doesn’t occur below 3,180 degrees Fahrenheit) or present in small enough particles to be ingested, which is not terribly likely even if children were to chew on it.
The reason why faucet manufacturers specifically are moving to lead-free brasses is due to the fact that acid water supplies over time could leach some of the metals from the brass, including lead. It is the effect of flowing acidic water that poses the risk of migrating the lead from the solid metal into the water which is then capable of being ingested, and in the absence of running water that is to be ingested, there is no risk .