For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website:
Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005).
- Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama, LLC — a community collaborative woman-owned small business for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety.
- Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific testing method) using the exact instrumentation employed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals — including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic).
- Since July of 2022, the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC has been responsible for 5 product recalls (FDA and CPSC).
- All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable.
- Items that Lead Safe Mama, LLC reports on are tested multiple times to confirm the results published (for each component tested).
- Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February 2023 (March 2023 print edition) and The Guardian in November 2023.
Published: March 3, 2018
Updated: January 4, 2024
This is an uncoated Stainless Steel Corkcicle brand water bottle (pictured above).
This product is expressly advertised as Lead-free. (See related article here).
The bottle is primarily made of stainless steel — without paint, embellishment or adornment. While all components that touch the contents are Lead-free, there is a fully accessible component of this bottle that tested positive for a very high level of Lead.
The center “sealing dot” (on the bottom of the outside of the bottle), the element that seals the two layers of Stainless Steel so the bottle has the insulative qualities required to keep beverages cold (or hot), is made of melted Lead (possibly 60/40 Lead solder, which is 60% Lead — or 600,000 ppm Lead). On this particular bottle, the Lead is fully exposed/ has no protective paint, coating, cap, or cover. Please scroll down to see photographs of this area so you can see exactly what I mean.
When tested with an XRF instrument, this sealing dot tested positive for Lead in the range of 597,000 ppm Lead (+/- 4,000 ppm). As a result, in spite of Corkcicle’s advertising claims, this bottle is decidedly not Lead-free — in fact, it has a dangerous amount of Lead in an area that may be frequently touched by the user.
Please read this article for context.
For a truly Lead-free insulated water bottle option, check out this link!*
As always, thank you for reading articles on LeadSafeMama.com/TamaraRubin.com and thank you for sharing links to our articles.
Please let me know if you have any questions. I will do my best to answer them personally as soon as I have a moment.
Tamara Elise Rubin
Owner
Lead Safe Mama, LLC
So basically we can’t rely on anyone to tell the truth or an agency to enforce it properly to protect our kids. Tamara, you are a true hero!! Keeping us safe with a reality check about everything!!! I am just amazed at how much garbage is out there. Thanks Tamara for being a real trooper.
Thank you Sarah! I really appreciate your comment. Some days are hard to get through and supportive comments really make a difference! [So I know I am on the right path with my work!]
T
How about their hybrid version with glass insert? https://corkcicle.com/products/hybrid-canteen
The Glass contacted with water doesn’t in contact with the stainless steel
Thanks!