2018 Dollar Tree “I Love Santa” Design Ceramic Mug, Royal Norfolk.
By Greenbrier International, Inc.
Made in China.
For exact XRF test results scroll down.
To learn more about XRF testing, Click HERE.
As many red colored items are, the red words on this mug were positive for a relatively high level of Cadmium. Cadmium is a known carcinogen.
From Wikipedia:
“The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified cadmium and cadmium compounds as carcinogenic to humans” [LINK]
I understand from reading a scientific study done in Denmark (LINK) that if something is more than 75 ppm Cadmium it is considered illegal in Denmark (I am sure my Danish friends will correct me if I am wrong about that one! 😉 There are no similar regulations here in the United States.
To learn more about concerns for Cadmium toxicity, Click HERE.
While this product does test positive for Cadmium it is negative for Lead! [#SilverLining?]
People often express concern for products from the Dollar (type) stores [Dollar Tree, Dollar Store, Dollar General, 99cent Store] and usually I explain to them that BECAUSE these types of stores were cited for several significant Lead-violations years ago, in my experience the products they sell have become much safer in recent years (if only from a Lead perspective.)
That said, mugs always seem to be the exception. I never EXPECT ceramic mugs to be negative for toxicants, more often than not they have both Lead and Cadmium (depending on the color of the design.) I was therefore not at all surprised that this was positive for Cadmium.
For help choosing a Lead-free mug, Click HERE.
To see more items from Dollar Tree Stores that I have tested already, Click HERE.
For this particular “I Love Santa” design mug I tested both the red painted / glazed part and the plain white of the mug. One set of full results for each of the tested areas are listed below (when tested with an XRF instrument):
All tests were done for at least 60 seconds.
Red Exterior Decoration (Words):
- Lead (Pb): Negative / Non-Detect
- Cadmium (Cd): 1,154 +/- 65 ppm
- Arsenic (As): Negative / Non-Detect
- Mercury (Hg): Negative / Non-Detect
- Antimony (Sb): Negative / Non-Detect
- Selenium (Se): 921 +/- 56 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): Negative / Non-Detect
- Barium (Ba): 1,373 +/- 120 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 6,310 +/- 279 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 443 +/- 76 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 986 +/- 226 ppm
- Vanadium (V): 923 +/- 93 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 6,169 +/- 354 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): Negative / Non-Detect
- Magnesium (Mn): Negative / Non-Detect
- Zirconium (Zr): 21,400 +/- 800 ppm
- Platinum (Pt): 237 +/- 94 ppm
To see more mugs I have tested, Click HERE.
To see more Christmas items I have tested, Click HERE.
Plain White Ceramic:
- Lead (Pb): Negative / Non-Detect
- Cadmium (Cd): Negative / Non-Detect
- Arsenic (As): Negative / Non-Detect
- Mercury (Hg): Negative / Non-Detect
- Antimony (Sb): Negative / Non-Detect
- Selenium (Se): Negative / Non-Detect
- Chromium (Cr): Negative / Non-Detect
- Barium (Ba): 912 +/- 93 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 4,437 +/- 211 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 440 +/- 72 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 1063 +/- 222 ppm
- Vanadium (V): 1678 +/- 114 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 3340 +/- 211 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): Negative / Non-Detect
- Magnesium (Mn): Negative / Non-Detect
- Zirconium (Zr): 16,700 +/- 600 ppm
- Platinum (Pt): 253 +/- 84 ppm
As always, please let me know if you have any questions!
Thank you for reading and for sharing my posts. [When you share my posts I earn $$ to help cover the costs the independent consumer goods testing I do!]
If you want to donate to help me do this kind of testing (where I buy stuff new at a store to test), to “Chip-In” [via PayPal or with a credit card] Click HERE or you can contribute on GoFundME [LINK.] As an example, this Dollar Tree store trip cost me about $60 including the stuff and the transportation – not including the cost of testing and childcare.
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
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