Remember the Magic … with a dash of LEAD! (And Cadmium for good measure.)
For those new to this 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). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals — including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic). All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable. Items are tested multiple times to confirm the test results for each component tested. Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February 2023 (March 2023 print edition).
Originally Published: March 8, 2019
Updated: Monday — October 31, 2022
When tested with an XRF instrument (the same instrument used by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission to determine if consumer goods are safe for use by children — with safety concerns related to the presence of toxic heavy metals like Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury, and Antimony), this Walt Disney World “Remember The Magic” drinking glass (promotional giveaway from McDonald’s in 1996) had the following readings on the painted decorative design on the outside of the glass:
- Lead (Pb): 73,300 +/- 2,300 ppm
- Cadmium (Cd): 1,855 +/- 114 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 7,658 +/- 458 ppm
- Platinum (Pt): 608 +/- 215 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): 7,816 +/- 432 ppm
- Metals not listed were not detected by the instrument (in consumer goods mode).
- Results were replicable with tests done for at least 60 seconds.
The amount of Lead considered toxic (and illegal) in the paint or coating made today of any item intended for use by children is 90 ppm Lead or higher. Paint will be considered “Lead paint” if the Lead level is 5,000 ppm or higher. All federal agencies agree there is no safe level of Lead exposure to humans and that it just takes a microscopic amount of Lead to poison a child.
Cadmium is a known carcinogen. There is no comprehensive federal regulatory standard yet in the U.S. limiting Cadmium in all items intended for use by children; for reference, the amount of Cadmium considered unsafe (and illegal) in any items intended for use by children in the State of Washington is 40 ppm Cadmium or higher.
Given what we know about their disastrous effects on the human body, there is no room for toxic heavy metals like Lead and Cadmium in our kitchen and dining rooms (or anywhere in our homes, for that matter). If you have one of these glasses in your home, I strongly recommend that you consider throwing it in the trash (and also making sure it breaks — so no one will ever be tempted to use it in the future). “But Tamara, the Lead paint is only on the outside of the glass, why is this a problem?” Here’s an answer to that question!
To my knowledge, this glass was never recalled for Lead by McDonald’s or Disney, and they can be found ALL OVER e-Bay for sale for about $10 or so. I bought this particular example for my “Museum of Lead” collection since so many people have asked me about this exact glass.
As always, 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. In the meantime, here are some additional categories of tested products (with full test results and narrative summaries) related to this glass that might be of interest to you. (Click each of the phrases below to see more of those items and their test results here on this website):
- Cartoon Character Glasses
- McDonald’s Collectible Glassware
- Disney Items
- Mickey Mouse Items
- Glassware — all types
- Here’s a study from England in 2017 about the potential for harm caused by glassware like this.
Thank you for sharing and for reading the articles here on LeadSafeMama.com/TamaraRubin.com! In addition to serving as a valuable tool to inform and educate your families and communities, your shares help support and fund this work. For examples of safer choices for glassware for your family (Lead-free choices!), please check out this link.
Tamara Rubin
Owner — Lead Safe Mama, LLC
#LeadSafeMama
I am guessing a different painted design of the same run will likely test similar or at least “not safe”…
Hi Lisa!
Thank you for commenting.
That’s my guess too. Any of the glasses from this series are likely going to be positive for toxicants at similar levels.
Tamara.
Do you know if the what’s cooking pooh glasses are lead free?
You would have to share a picture with me. Either a link here or via e-mail.
Tamara
I have vintage mint green glass bowls by fireball king. Any testing on these?
Hi Thomacina,
Is this milky green? like Jadeite? or clear green? Can you share a link with a picture of a similar bowl for me? And I will let you know if I have tested something similar?
Tamara
My husband and I were recently commenting on our Disney glass collection and how they really haven’t faded with YEARS of use and washing. Now we know why. They are on their way to the garbage can right now. Thank you Tamara!!!
Thank you for commenting Kristin!
Tamara
Hello! If we have this glass is it safe to even keep as a keepsake? And I just drank out of mine and it’s been stored with my other glasses is that ok? Thank you!
I would like to know this answer also
I think it is dangerous to keep items like this around as keepsakes or collectables because the eventual outcome is that someone might use it for food use in the future. Please read these two posts:
1. https://tamararubin.com/2017/11/decorated-glassware/
2.https://tamararubin.com/2020/07/if-the-lead-is-only-on-the-outside-of-my-dish-measuring-cup-mixing-bowl-etc-why-does-it-matter-that-it-has-lead/
Tamara
Thank you Tamara! I was drinking water from a glass from this series when I read this posting. (Picked up 4 at a thrift store last year, and loved the weight and size so much). They are off the garbage now.
Do you want anymore for your museum of Lead? Because I’m about to throw 5 of them out.
I bought a set of these glasses in 1996 or 1997, and have been using them every day since then. I’m 79 now, and feel no ill effects. The paint is on the outside of the glass, the liquid is inside. The paint has recently started to fade due to many, many trips through the dishwasher. Given the potential toxicity of the paint, unless you are licking the outside of your glasses, this sounds to me like a radical solution without a problem.
Hi Kenneth!
Thanks for commenting. You may want to read this article about a study done in England a few years ago related to glassware (like this one) painted with Lead paint: https://tamararubin.com/2017/11/decorated-glassware/
Also, here’s a post with some specific symptoms of Lead exposure in adults: https://tamararubin.com/2017/01/what-is-the-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-adults-including-college-age-students/
Tamara
For me, as a mother of a child with a permanent brain injury from being Lead poisoned as a baby, given new Lead-free glasses cost $1 or $2 each, it makes no sense to keep things in my home that are painted with one of the most neurotoxic poisons known to man (regardless of any potential or known risks, or lack thereof) – especially if those items are so easily and inexpensively replaced.
Tamara
Very interesting! Do you have any info on the McD/Disney “Millenium Celebration” glass set that came out around 2000 ?
Hi I have a whole collection of the disney glasses. I know I have this one in there. Do all the disney glasses have lead in the paint?
I have just read your article/ coming up on it totally by coincidence as I was just taking my collection out of storage to look up values.
This is so very interesting because my glasses were used daily back in the day. My child and became ill and had severe headaches. Finally we were tested for heavy metal poison and tested off the charts for all the things you show listed in these glasses. We could give no explanation of how we could have gotten the metals. We took chelation infusions for months to help clear us of the poisons yet there is no way to rid your bones completely clear. Nice to know where our source may have been.
Shouldn’t anyone be held responsible and at least shouldn’t be more publicized so people can chose whether they really want to be using these things or not?
Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I do not want these things in my home or anyone else’s.
Thank you for sharing your story!
I have 2 Disney McDonald’s glass cups from the 100 year anniversary I believe they’re from 2002, you you think they have lead in them too?