For those new to the Lead Safe Mama 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 four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005).
- Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama, LLC — a unique community collaborative woman-owned small business for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety.
- Since July of 2022, the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC has been responsible for five product recalls (FDA and CPSC).
- All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable.
- Please check out our press page to see some amazing coverage of our work so far this year!
This little blue and white decorated juice glass is a solid reminder that even companies doing GREAT THINGS today have often f’ed up in the past.
The owner of this glass told me she thought it was “about 10 years old”… so, based on my knowledge of Ikea products combined with her statement, I would confidently estimate this as being manufactured by Ikea c. 2008 or earlier. (This is now a confirmed 2008 date! See note from Ikea!)
In spite of the specific XRF test results for this particular glass (see below for full XRF test results), I stand by my repeated refrain that nearly everything I have tested from Ikea has been Lead-free in recent years. There have been very few exceptions — and most of those exceptions still fall within the “Lead-safe” range (usually under 200 ppm and mostly under 100 ppm Lead).
To see more items I have tested from Ikea, click here.
However, I started testing things in 2009, and by then, I only found traces of Lead in some Ikea products, at which point I contacted them and asked about their policies. Ikea ended up responsively/ responsibly promptly changing the language on their website in response to my call! Prior to when I contacted them, their website said there were no toxicants in any of their products; now their language varies (by product) to say that there are no added toxicants, or alternately, to say that any toxicants are within safe levels (by all standards).
Takeaway: Ikea is indeed doing a good job today, but as with all older things, assume the likelihood of “Leaded” until proven otherwise. This holds especially true for painted glassware on which you can feel the texture of the painted design when you touch the outside of the glass.
You can read more about the concern for Lead in painted/ decorated glassware here.
You can also see many of the decorated/ painted glassware examples I have tested by clicking here.
When tested with an XRF instrument, this *older* Ikea glass had the following readings:
- Lead (Pb): 41,400 +/- 1,100 ppm
- Cadmium (Cd): 745 +/- 42 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 95 +/- 45 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 14,700 +/- 700 ppm
- Platinum (Pt): 517 +/- 150 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): 211 +/- 82 ppm
Metals not listed were not detected. Testing was conducted for a minimum of 60 seconds and results were confirmed with multiple test results.
For some Lead-free glassware options, click here.
As always, please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you for reading and sharing these articles.
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
UPDATE: E-MAIL FROM IKEA — Confirmed Summer 2008 product:
The last of my glasses like this broke a few weeks ago. They came in a set of 6, I think, two of this pattern pictured, two with elephants and two with penguins and mushrooms. I think I bought mine in 2006. I always assumed they had some lead in the paint, but this is really high. I guess it’s good mine finally bit it in the dishwasher.
What about similar but newer(2015) glasses bought from Ikea. Any information on that?
Hi Nidhi,
There’s tons of information about Ikea here on the blog. Please just click the “Ikea” tab at the top of the post (under the headline) and that will bring you to a list of all of the Ikea posts on the blog.
Thank you for commenting.
Hi Tamara – have you ever tested the korken jar from Ikea? Or any other storage jars that have various sizes besides Ball? Thank you!
Has there been an answer to this. Trying to figure this out for my household at the moment.
Have you tested Ikea’s glass measuring cup? It does have writing on it, but since you’ve found all the Ikea things made more recently to be lead-free, I wondered if it’s likely that the measuring glass is also lead-free.
Hi Tamara. I have those glasses and have been using them all this time. They will have to go! I have some newer ones I got about a year or two ago, also with design. I am going to assume those design will contain trace amount of lead and stay clear of them.
My question about IKEA tempered glass tableware. One is called OFTAST and another BESEGRA. OFTAST is made out of white tempered glass and BESEGRA out of blue tempered glass. BESEGRA range is made in France, but some of OFTAST bowls I got made in China. In your experience, are those safe to use?
Tamara may I ask if all ikea glassware are safe or just some of them? For example I want to know about buren (oven serving dish). It’s made from clear glass
Hi Tamara,
Your website has been incredibly helpful in informing me and my family about what kitchenware/dishes to keep! We have been eating off of old painted Corelle dishes and drinking out of bright Starbucks mugs.
We are considering buying plates, bowls, and drinking glasses from Ikea. Do you know if the current Pokal Ikea glasses contain lead?
Thank you again for your dedication.