#Leaded: Orange Waechtersbach German Bowl, c. 2009

 Orange Waechtersbach Bowl from Williams Sonoma
Made in Germany

When tested with an XRF instrument this bowl had the following readings:

• Lead (Pb): 28,800 +/- 900 ppm
• Cadmium (Cd): 3,109 +/- 158 ppm
• Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect / Negative
• Arsenic (As): : Non-Detect / Negative
• Barium (Ba): 4,713 +/- 276 ppm

To learn more about XRF testing, click here.

Modern newly manufactured dishware today is not regulated for total lead and cadmium content as detectable with an XRF instrument. Instead modern dishware is usually only regulated to meet leach testing standards at the time of manufacture (depending on the country of origin.)

My concern is for what happens to a highly leaded piece as it deteriorates over time, especially pieces like this that are very high lead and cadmium, but also considered heirloom quality and may be handed down from generation to generation.

To read more about my concern for lead in pottery and dishware, click here.

The only standard that one can compare these XRF test results to (comparing apples to apples) is the regulatory standard for lead in items specifically designed and marketed as intended for use by children. The allowable limit for lead [as detectable with an XRF] in an item intended for use by children (including toys and dishware made expressly for use by children) is 90 ppm lead in the glaze or coating or 100 ppm lead in the substrate (the clay under the glaze.) The allowable limit for cadmium is 75 ppm.

To reiterate, the lead level in this particular bowl is 28,800 ppm.  It is also positive for 3,109 ppm CADMIUM (a known carcinogen!)

Click here to read more about cadmium toxicity.

While this bowl has likely been leach tested and is considered safe for use by adults, if this bowl were intended for use by children it would be a violation of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008. [Fun fact: Based on the research I have done, it is my understanding that if this bowl were sold in Denmark today- it would be considered just plain illegal because it is over 75 ppm cadmium!]

However this particular item is not sold or marketed to be used by children, even though one could imagine that with the bright colors of this line that it is highly likely that it might be used by children on a regular basis! (In fact I once visited a home where this brand of bowl was expressly used for feeding the children in that home.) Can you say #RegulatoryLoophole?

All products I have ever tested by this brand have been VERY HIGH in lead when tested with an XRF instrument.

To see this brand on Amazon, click here.*

As always, thank you for reading and for sharing my posts.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama

To see more pieces by Waechtersbach that I have tested, click here.

*Amazon links are affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking on one of these links I may receive a small percentage of what you spend at no extra cost to you. WHILE I DON’T WANT YOU TO BUY PRODUCTS FROM THIS PARTICULAR BRAND, I do encourage you to click on the Amazon link to see the other pieces from this brand that you might want to AVOID. Thank you for supporting my advocacy work in this way!