Originally Published: January 30, 2019
Updated: March 10, 2020

Introduction: Tamara Rubin is a independent advocate for consumer goods safety and she is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children. She began testing consumer goods for toxicants in 2009 and was the parent-advocate responsible for finding Lead in the popular fidget spinner toys in 2017. She uses XRF testing (a scientific method used by the Consumer Product Safety Commission) to test consumer goods for contaminants including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury and Arsenic. [bio link]

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Box of Filana “NonToxic” Organic Beeswax Crayons

When tested with an XRF instrument a box of Filana Organic Beeswax Crayons (purchased in January of 2019) had the following readings (the implications of these readings are explained below the readings):

1.) Black:
Confirmed with 120 second (two minute) test.

• Cadmium (Cd): 13 +/- 6 ppm
• Zinc (Zn): 24 +/- 11 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 174,400 +/- 2,600 ppm
• Vanadium (V): 67 +/- 25 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 320 +/- 45 ppm
• Indium (In): 20 +/- 8 ppm
• Magnesium (Mn): 993 +/- 133 ppm
• no other metals detected.

2.) Brown:
Confirmed with 120 second (two minute) test.

• Cadmium (Cd): 13 +/- 5 ppm
• Antimony (Sb): 26 +/- 13 ppm
• Copper (Cu): 181 +/- 28 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 142,800 +/- 2,200 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 418 +/- 53 ppm
• Indium (In): 17 +/- 8 ppm
• no other metals detected.

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3.) Green:
Confirmed with 120 second (two minute) test.

• Bromine (Br): 7 +/- 2 ppm
• Zinc (Zn): 14 +/- 9 ppm
• Copper (Cu): 1,763 +/- 32 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 224 +/- 23 ppm
• Bismuth (Bi): 11 +/- 4 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 2,042 +/- 252 ppm
• no other metals detected.

4.) Dark Blue:
Confirmed with 120 second (two minute) test.

• Copper (Cu): 2,334 +/- 42 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 259 +/- 28 ppm
• Bismuth (Bi): 11 +/- 4 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 14,900 +/- 400 ppm
• no other metals detected.

5.) Medium Blue:
Confirmed with 120 second (two minute) test.

• Barium (Ba): 198 +/- 86 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 586 +/- 29 ppm
• Bismuth (Bi): 9 +/- 3 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 8,538 +/- 286 ppm
• no other metals detected.

6.) Purple:
Confirmed with 120 second (two minute) test.

• Iron (Fe): 335 +/- 25 ppm
• Bismuth (Bi): 14 +/- 4 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 11,100 +/- 300 ppm
• no other metals detected.

7.) Fuschia:
Confirmed with 120 second (two minute) test.

• Iron (Fe): 189 +/- 22 ppm
• Bismuth (Bi): 12 +/- 4 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 8,757 +/- 323 ppm
• no other metals detected.

8.) Dark Red:
Confirmed with 120 second (two minute) test.

• Barium (Ba): 255 +/- 58 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 12,800 +/- 100 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 4,159 +/- 172 ppm
• no other metals detected.

9.) Cherry Red:
Confirmed with 120 second (two minute) test.

• Iron (Fe): 183 +/- 15 ppm
• Bismuth (Bi): 8 +/- 2 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 2,898 +/- 188 ppm
• no other metals detected.

10.) Dark Orange:
Confirmed with 120 second (two minute) test.

• Barium (Ba): 116 +/- 67 ppm
• Copper (Cu): 10+/- 6 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 225 +/- 18 ppm
• Bismuth (Bi): 12 +/- 3 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 8,136 +/- 243 ppm
• no other metals detected.

11.) Light Orange:
Confirmed with 120 second (two minute) test.

• Iron (Fe): 221 +/- 20 ppm
• Bismuth (Bi): 9 +/- 3 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 8,528 +/- 270 ppm
• no other metals detected.

12.) Yellow:
Confirmed with 120 second (two minute) test.

• Barium (Ba): 118 +/- 71 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 209 +/- 18 ppm
• Bismuth (Bi): 8 +/- 3 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 8,785 +/- 259 ppm

All readings reported on this blog are science-based, accurate and replicable. Readings are done using a high-precision XRF instrument specifically designed and programmed to test for Lead and other metals in consumer goods. When I look for toxicants in my work (the test results I report on this blog) I am specifically looking for the five most concerning heavy metals (in terms of their impacts on children) that are commonly found in consumer goods – and commonly found in the blood of children today: Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Arsenic & Antimony.

Thank you for reading and for sharing my posts.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama