Vintage Arcoroc Clear Glass Plate (year unknown), Made in France.
When tested with an XRF instrument the dish pictured here was positive at the following level: 256 ppm Lead. This is common with vintage clear glass (and especially vintage clear glass that was made in France.) Most new clear glass will be Lead-free or at least Lead-safe (well under 90 ppm Lead.)
#SaferChoices
Here are some links to clear glass choices* for dishes that are likely to be #LeadFree. All of the modern versions of clear glass plates from the following brands that I have tested have been lead-free (each of the links below is to a product from this brand on Amazon):
The amount of Lead considered unsafe in items intended for children is 90 ppm lead or higher in the paint or coating and 100 ppm Lead or higher in the substrate. So the dish pictured here would NOT be considered lead-safe (for use by children by modern standards.)
Dishes are not sold as “intended for children” so total lead content (as detectible with an XRF) is not regulated (now or historically.) Vintage and antique dishware is also not regulated for total lead content nor lead toxicity.
Will it poison me if I eat off of these dishes?
I am not saying that these dishes (or any specific dishes that test positive for lead) will poison you, I am only saying they may contain an unsafe level of lead by today’s regulatory standards for items intended to be used by children. Lead is one of the most potent neurotoxins known to man and does not belong in our kitchens nor on our dining room table.
For more lead-safe / lead-free dishware options, click here.
Thank you for reading and for sharing my posts. As always, please let me know if you have any questions.
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
Chris says
January 3, 2017 at 8:29 pmTamara,
I follow you on Facebook.
Do you know the approximate age of this plate (period of manufacture) ?
Thanks, ~Chris
Tamara says
January 3, 2017 at 8:58 pmI’m sorry, I do not. I have one theory though. Since they are made in France there are likely some sand sources (the source of sand for the glass) that might be heavily contaminated with lead from ammunition from beach skirmishes in WW2. This is just a theory though!
Deanna says
September 28, 2017 at 1:50 pmThank you!! I am so glad you posted this. I was in the thrift store checking out clear glass dishes since, based on my understanding, they wouldn’t usually have as much lead as ceramic dishes. So I looked up this brand on a Google search and saw “vintage” in a seller’s description so immediately became wary.
So I added “lead” to my search query and that brought me here. I was shocked since I’ve always thought that clear glass was mostly safe. I have two small children and a third on the way, so avoiding lead is super important to me.
Is there any way for us to know whether clear glass contains lead? Or is an XRF the only way?
P.S. I got your email this morning about supporting your work with Amazon purchases, and wanted to know how I could do that without an affiliate link from you to a specific product. For example, after I click your link to the Halloween pumpkins, how do I make sure you get credit for the other products? If I already have stuff in my cart, should I remove it and search for it again?
Thanks again and happy fall!!
Tamara says
October 4, 2017 at 5:34 pmHi! Thank you! Clicking the pumpkins and then continuing to shop should do it! I am not 100% sure about previously selected items.
—
With vintage glass really yes – the only way to tell is with an XRF… sorry to not have a better answer for you on that one! Modern clear class should be fine (unless it is marked and sold as leaded crystal!)
Thank you for following, Deanna!
– Tamara
K. says
June 22, 2018 at 8:58 pmDo the vintage ruby red faceted “Luminarc Arcoroc France Ruby Red 10″ Dinner Plate” dinnerware contain lead?
K. says
June 22, 2018 at 9:20 pmI have been using vintage ruby red dinnerware made in France, called:
“Luminarc Antique Ruby Red Cristal D’Arques Durand Pressed Glass”. Does this red glass dinnerware contain lead? Here is a photo of the design of the glass dinnerware:
https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Luminarc-Antique-Ruby-Red-Cristal-DArques-Durand-Pressed-Glass-2-Cereal-Bowls/400619657183?hash=item5d46cad7df:g:YAYAAOxyLN9SiDNZ
Tamara says
June 22, 2018 at 10:20 pmI’m sorry I don’t have any red glass posts up on my blog right now. Those can have lead and cadmium.
Oksana says
November 24, 2018 at 4:50 amDo all Arcoroc plates contain lead? We have been using a few I bought at a tag sale. Not sure what year they are
Tamara says
November 24, 2018 at 10:54 amNot all necessarily – but all of the vintage one I have tested seem to. I don’t know that these are at levels that would leach tho. I still would not choose to use them in my home regardless.
Debbie L says
January 23, 2019 at 10:06 amDo the vintage green and gold thumbprint glassware have lead in them?
Tamara says
January 26, 2019 at 10:39 pmHi Debbie,
Like these? https://tamararubin.com/2017/10/thumb/
Tamara
Barbara Hanson says
March 27, 2019 at 2:47 pmI’ve been eating off of Arcoroc Pink Swirl glass plates (you can see through them). I just had a hair analysis and my lead levels keep going up, but my cadmium level skyrocketed. Do you know anything about the lead and cadmium in these plates? Do you know of any glass plates that have no lead and cadmium? How does one test for both of these substances in plates? Thank you.
Virginia says
September 9, 2019 at 9:21 pmHi Tamara, thank you so much for this website! I just recently received a 40 piece set of Arcoroc red ruby pressed glass dinnerware. Is there a place that I can check out that may have more info. in regard to if they are safe to use? Or has somenone that you know of tested them? I would be happy to send you some pieces to test if this is possible. Please let me know.
Thanks so much,
Virginia
Tamara says
September 9, 2019 at 9:54 pmHi Virginia,
Thanks for commenting. I know I don’t have any of that on the website. Here’s how to participate in the testing:
https://tamararubin.com/2019/08/tamara-can-i-send-you-one-of-my-dishes-to-test-for-lead/
Here are some of the pieces I have marked “red glass”: https://tamararubin.com/category/red-glass/ [Unfortunately these are both new examples, not vintage.]
Tamara