To see more McDonald’s branded items I have tested, click here.
When tested with an XRF instrument this Camp Snoopy collectable drinking glass (promotional giveaway from McDonald’s c. 1980s) had the following readings:
- Lead (Pb): 85,100 +/- 1,800 ppm
- Cadmium (Cd): 1,827 +/- 74 ppm
- Mercury (Hg): 99 +/- 39 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): 3,061 +/- 135 ppm
- Zinc (Zn) 115 +/- 24 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 1,111 +/- 69 ppm
- Nickel (Ni): 1,670 +/- 104 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 2,181 +/- 181 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 15,700 +/- 500 ppm
- Platinum (Pt): 595 +/- 142 ppm
- Magnesium (Mn): 1,529 +/- 239 ppm
- Metals not listed were not detected by the instrument (in consumer goods mode). Results were replicable with tests done for at least 180 seconds (3-minutes).
The amount of Lead considered toxic (and illegal) in consumer goods made today intended for use by children is anything 90 ppm Lead or higher in the paint or coating. To my knowledge this glass was never recalled for Lead by McDonald’s – and glasses from this series can be found ALL OVER Ebay for sale for about $10 or so (with no warning for potential toxicants listed in the product description.) Marking resale vintage goods as potentially toxic is not required. There is nothing to stop a parent or grandparent from unknowingly purchasing a toxic glass like this as a gift intended for use by a child in their lives.
I bought this for my “Museum of Lead” collection (anticipating that it would test positive for a high level of lead.) IF you own a glass like this, please display it in a case and clearly note somewhere visible that it is not safe to use something like this for food use purposes given the level (and range) of toxicants present in the paint on the decorations of the glass.
As always, please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you for sharing and for reading my posts!
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama 
If the metal is in the paint, which is on the OUTSIDE of the glass, is it really harmful to use? I hand wash my dishes, so it doesn’t go in a dishwasher.
Hi Julie,
You touch the outside of the glass when you hold it. These are vintage so the decorations are often deteriorating. They will usually test positive with a LeadCheck swab. This means the paint can (and may) possibly rub off on to your hands with normal use. I am currently out of LeadCheck swabs so have not tested these new ones (new to me – recently purchased for my book / museum collection) with a swab, but intend to as soon as I get my hands on some more LeadCheck swabs.
Tamara
Think of the child drinking from this. They touch the outside paint, then lick peanut butter (or whatever) off their fingers, and voila, ingested lead!
What would be the best way to dispose of them?
Please read this article – thanks!
https://tamararubin.com/2019/12/what-should-i-do-with-my-lead-contaminated-dishes-to-toss-or-not-to-toss/
Tamara
This was over 13 years ago but i drank out of these because flea markets in my area had dozens of them. I only used it a few times not knowing it was unsafe. Im ok but i thankfully never used it again. I felt sick after drinking diet coke from it. My family thought because we avoided the sherk recall and Garfield cups which i also possibly drank from with soup. No one ever told us it was unsafe. Thank god im ok but thats scary to find out as an adult not knowing how dangerous this was. I see them all over etsy and ebay with no warnings. This is not worth keeping people please throw them away and collect other stufff.
do all the glasses from this set have lead or is it just the one?
all
im staring at this glass right now at my dads house lol
What does the lead taste like when I drink from my collection? Is it delicious? Asking for a friend.