When tested with an XRF instrument this 1958 Little Golden Book (1958! Same age as my husband!), tested positive for 208 ppm Lead (Pb).
Newly manufactured Items intended for use children today (in 2019) are considered unsafe (and illegal if newly manufactured) when they test positive for lead at 90 ppm lead (or higher) in the coating or 100 ppm lead (or higher) in the substrate.
To see more books I have tested click here.
Given the potential risk of lead exposure from vintage books, I have chosen not to have any in my home.
Most post-1980 books I have tested have been either Lead-free or Lead-safe, with a few exceptions. Here’s one notable exception (a book from 2006 that is very high Lead!) To absolutely avoid all Lead in children’s books, consider only purchasing books for children that were printed in 2011 or later (after the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was fully in place and enforceable.)
As always, please let me know if you have any questions!
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
Hello Tamara!
Thank you very much for this post. I went through my kids books today and realized most of them were given by someone used (not bought by us new). Some I easily decided to let go for example one published in 1960. But others that are just a little older than 2011 was struggling to. They are very cute and nice and my kids love them a lot.
I also thought about possibility of hand me down books being contaminated by lead if there was some kind of renovation and lead exposure in previous owner place. Is it really something to worry about? And also curious what is your opinion about borrowing books from public library?
Thank you!
I try not to worry about much! I wouldn’t be concerned for books from another home or library being contaminated by their environment… and post-1990 books should be fine in most cases if they don’t have non-book components (like the one with a xylophone in my film that was high lead.) Have you seen the film?
Tamara
Does anyone know if Little Golden books are being turned into digital copies that can be downloaded and print? If not, that should be a thing, so we can still enjoy them safely.