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 2009, Tamara has been conducting XRF testing (a scientific testing method) using the exact instrumentation employed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals — including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic).
- 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.
- Items that Lead Safe Mama, LLC reports on are tested multiple times to confirm the results published (for each component tested).
- Recent notable press… There has been too much to mention already in 2024! Please check out our press page to see some of the amazing coverage of our work so far this year!
This is an ad-free article.
Advertising and affiliate income help Lead Safe Mama, LLC cover the costs of the work we do here (independent consumer goods testing and childhood Lead-poisoning prevention advocacy). We have removed ads from most of our more widely-read articles (like this one!) to make them easier for you to read. In addition to supporting this work by starting any shopping you might be doing with clicks on our affiliate links, if you would like to support the independent consumer goods testing and childhood Lead-poisoning prevention advocacy work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC by making a contribution (which will also help us keep our more widely-read articles ad-free), click here. Thank you!
Before we get started… for those of you looking for some safer (confirmed Lead-free) dish options, here are a few (relatively inexpensive) choices to consider as well:
- Prices below are from April 4, 2024
- 18-piece service for six: $53.57 (Made in USA) — https://amzn.to/43ieIYn
- 78-piece service for 12: $199.99 (Made in USA) — https://amzn.to/43aGEgV
- Set of six dinner plates: $38.74 (Made in France) — https://amzn.to/43aGUwp
- Set of six dinner plates: $17.49 (Made in Spain) — https://amzn.to/49pYhea
- You can also buy clear glass (unpainted, undecorated) dinner plates from the Dollar Store — and they are typically also Lead-free.
- The white glass plates from Target are also Lead-free (test results here).
- The white glass plates from Ikea are also Lead-free (test results here).
Amazon links are affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking one of Lead Safe Mama, LLC’s affiliate links, we may receive a percentage of what you spend (at no extra cost to you).
Published: January 25, 2019
Updated: March 11, 2024
When tested using XRF technology, all patterns of vintage (pre-2005) Corelle dishes with printed colorful patterns (normally found on the food-contact surface of the dish, like with the dish pictured — or also sometimes found on the exterior of the Corelle bowls and coffee cups) test positive for unsafe levels of Lead and/or other toxicants (poisonous heavy metals) including Cadmium, Arsenic, and Antimony in the painted decorations.
The vintage and new plain white and plain sand/ cream-colored versions of glass dishes from this brand (the dishes with no painted markings besides the logo mark on the underside) are safe for use with food as they test negative for Lead and Cadmium in nearly every instance (when tested with XRF technology, which is a way to acurately measure the total content of metals of an object, in parts per million [ppm]).
How much Lead is “too much” Lead?
The painted/ decorative elements on this particular set of vintage Butterfly Gold pattern Corelle dishes (pictured above and below) tested positive for 18,700 ppm Lead.
- For context, the amount of Lead considered toxic (unsafe and illegal) in a newly manufactured item “intended for use by children” is anything above 90 ppm Lead in the paint, glaze, or coating of an item— and anything above 100 ppm Lead in the substrate (base material — in this case the glass or clay of dishes).
- Dishes (modern or vintage) are not considered by regulatory agencies to be items “intended for use by children,” and thus are not regulated for total Lead content in the same way as toys and other similar items used daily by children under the age of 14.
- The only exception to the above loophole in our regulatory standards is that dishes expressly marketed and sold as children’s dishes (or baby dishes) and manufactured after 2010 ARE required to follow the guidelines for no levels of Lead above 90 ppm in the paint, glaze, or coating (or for levels of Lead above 100 ppm in the substrate/base material).
Some additional reading on this subject
1.) Here’s a quick overview on Corelle’s public statements about this issue.
2.) This is Corelle’s statement about not using their pre-2005 products for food purposes.
3.) And here’s a more detailed overview, including science-based evidence that vintage Corelle dishes are likely leaching Lead into your food.
4.) Also check out the Corelle category of articles on this website, including test results of more Corelle patterns.
Why is this much Lead a problem?
Fundamentally, there is no place for Lead on our dining tables (or in our kitchens). None at all.
All relevant United States federal regulatory agencies (HUD, CDC, EPA, CPSC, etc.) agree there is no safe level of Lead exposure to humans.
Science (from countless scientific studies around the world) has definitively demonstrated that it literally just takes a microscopic (invisible) amount of Lead to poison a child (or any human for that matter) — read more about that at this link.
- Said another way, the amount of Lead that it takes to poison a human being is invisible to the naked eye.
- It is for this reason that levels over 90 ppm Lead (in items intended for use by children) are considered unsafe for children — even though that level may seem very very low.
- How this translates to your Corelle dishes: You don’t need to see “huge chunks of paint” missing from the design for evidence that the Lead from the paint on these dishes has worn into your food.
- After you have noticed the wear (thinning, scratching or fading) of the painted design on these plates (and similar vintage painted glass dishware — like vintage Pyrex pieces), it is “too late” —the Lead has already worn into your food (over time: Days, years, decades, etc).
- Washing these items in the dishwasher (or hand-washing them with abrasive agents or sponges) and using them with acidic or hot foods (vinegar, lemon juice, tomato sauce, etc.) all contribute to the wear of the Lead-painted decorative elements of these dishes. The more worn they are, the more likely the Lead is leaching into your food.
2019 to 2023
There is currently (at the time of publishing/ updating this article) NO ONE (and no agency or institution) studying the specific/ actual directly-derived health impacts that using Lead-painted vintage dishware for our daily meals has on the users of this dishware (no studies on a population level), because no corporation (or other organization) has identified a direct financial benefit from such a study. The specific concern here is the lack of study over the impacts of persistent, low-level (chronic) Lead exposure from daily use (over decades) of dishes like this Corelle dish pictured. You can read more about the symptoms of Lead exposure in adults by following this link.
There are, however, many scientific studies and well-researched articles investigating and discussing the subject of the potential for human harm that can be caused by Lead-painted decorative elements on food-use glassware and other Lead-contaminated dishes.
- You can read one scientific study (conducted in Plymouth, England in 2017) by clicking this link.
- The November 2023 Guardian article (linked at the top of the page) is a good read on the subject.
- This article from Cracked.com is a very well-researched piece from a surprising source (journalistically)!
- There are also many case studies of specific individuals (in the United States and beyond) who have been acutely Lead-poisoned by daily use of high-lead dishware.
Consequently, given Lead’s extreme toxicity with even trace exposure, we need to err on the side of prudence and proactively remove all potential sources of Lead exposure from our homes ourselves, starting with the easy-to-swap-out items (with inexpensive Lead-free replacements readily available!) like the dishes (plates, mugs, bowls, etc.) we choose to eat off of every day. To learn more about why Lead in vintage dishware is a potential concern, please click here.
But is this going to poison me? Article link.
How do I know if I have been Lead-poisoned? Article link.
Related Articles:
- What should I do if my dishes are positive for high levels of Lead? Click HERE.
- To learn more about XRF testing, click HERE.
- For more Lead-free dish choices, click HERE. (Note: Inexpensive, clear, unpainted/ undecorated glass dishes from the Dollar Store, RiteAid, Walgreens, Target, or Walmart are generally Lead-free. You can also find the brands at this link available from your local brick-and-mortar store if you prefer to avoid shopping on Amazon.)
Test results reported on this website are from testing performed for at least 60 seconds each unless otherwise noted. All reported tests were repeated multiple times to confirm the results. Results are science-based, accurate, and replicable. The XRF instrument used in the testing is a high-precision scientific instrument specifically designed and intended for testing consumer goods for Lead and other metals. The instrument used by Lead Safe Mama, LLC is the same instrument (same model and manufacturer) used by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to test consumer goods for Lead and other toxicants.
Below are the full XRF test results for the exact dish pictured in this article
Note: Different versions of this dish (from different years or different production batches) may test positive for different levels of Lead and/or Cadmium. Some we have tested have been positive for up to 20,000 ppm Cadmium (a known carcinogen) and no Lead. All versions of this pattern that we have tested have been positive for dangerous levels of at least one heavy metal. There is no version of this Butterfly Gold pattern vintage Corelle dish that is safe to eat food off of. By modern standards, these are especially dangerous for children to eat off of — and would be considered illegal if made and marketed today specifically as a dish for children’s use.
- Lead (Pb): 18,700 +/- 500 ppm
- Cadmium (Cd): 158 +/- 15 ppm
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): 655 +/- 100
- Zinc (Zn): 231 +/- 37 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 188 +/- 49 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 423 +/- 150 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 4774 +/- 253 ppm
- Zirconium (Zr): 4625 +/- 150 ppm
- Platinum (Pt): 321 +/- 109 ppm
- No other metals were detected in “Consumer Goods Mode.”
What should I do if I have been eating off of these dishes?
If you have been eating off of these dishes (or similar dishes from this era — even if the painted decorative elements are “only on the edges” of the dish or “only on the outside’ of the dish), we encourage you to stop using these dishes immediately and ask your doctor for a Blood Lead Level test to determine if you might have any potential exposure that needs addressing. Please check out the following links for additional information you may find helpful:
- Here’s more information about blood Lead testing
- And about hair or urine testing as alternatives
- Addressing the question “but will this dish actually poison me?”
- Addressing the response “I have used these for 50 years and I’m fine!”
- Why this is a problem even if the Lead painted decorations are “only on the outside” of the dish
- More information about the symptoms of Lead poisoning in adults
- More information about the symptoms of Lead poisoning in children
- Here’s a link to the documentary film on childhood Lead poisoning we produced.
- This is the most effective (and practically free) food-based natural detox method.
As always, please let me know if you have any questions and I will do my best to answer them personally as soon as I have a moment (which may be a while as I have disabled/ Lead-poisoned kiddos underfoot most of the time)!
Thank you for reading and sharing articles from LeadSafeMama.com/TamaraRubin.com. To see more vintage Corelle patterns that Lead Safe Mama, LLC has tested, click here.
Tamara Rubin
Owner — Lead Safe Mama, LLC
#LeadSafeMama
~ End ~
Photos below are of the back of the dish pictured above.
Ok so does that mean these are trash now? Or just not hot foods? Could they at least play pretend w them?
I would not use them at all, personally. Here’s a blog post that discusses considerations (regarding throwing them out or not): https://tamararubin.com/2019/12/what-should-i-do-with-my-lead-contaminated-dishes-to-toss-or-not-to-toss/
Tamara
I think some designs are reprinted after 2005. How do I know if what I bought in 2008 onwards was printed after 2005? Like old town blue is being sold nowadays.
I’m confused, it says corelle admits these things… Where can I find that information?
After being washed in the dishwasher almost daily for 45 years, is there any lead or cadmium left on them?
Hi DD, thank you for commenting. Is the pattern still on them? Still visible? Then yes.
Tamara
These dishes are not ‘Intended for kids’ but are now collectors items. But funny how I and my family have been eating off of this exact pattern for 45 years and NO ONE has lead poisoning or ever has. I find your claim invalid.
Hi Tonja – I am not “claiming” that the dishes will cause acute symptomatic Lead poisoning in your family. I am only stating a fact about the amount of Lead found in the paint on the food surface of the dish and demanding corporate responsibility for past mistakes in conjunction with these findings. You cannot assert that this fact is “invalid” – that’s silly. There is definitely a high level of lead in the paint of these dishes – as demonstrated by XRF testing, a scientific methodology used by our U.S. federal agencies to screen for Lead in consumer goods.
While I respect that you have used these dishes for 45 years and do not have concerns about low level aggregate Lead exposure in your family – I would invite you to consider the symptoms of chromic low level lead exposure too – which often go undiagnosed as linked to Lead exposure. Here are a few posts you may want to read to get more information about the concern:
1) https://tamararubin.com/topics/does-vintage-and-new-functional-pottery-and-dishware-have-unsafe-levels-of-lead/
2) https://tamararubin.com/2017/01/symptoms/
3) https://tamararubin.com/2017/01/what-is-the-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-adults-including-college-age-students/
4) https://tamararubin.com/2015/02/fine/
5) https://tamararubin.com/2017/01/toxic_lead/
Thank you for commenting. Please let me know if you have any additional questions.
Tamara
How did your children get lead poison? That would help us more that antique dishes. Ty and sorry you had that happen.
Hi Dennis,
You can watch the trailer to my documentary film (which has a quick summary of my story) here: http://www.MisLEADMovie.com
Thank you for asking.
Tamara
Is there a safe way to dispose of this dinnerware?
I have the green leaf pattern (with green rim) from the same company on a white plate. Have you tested those?
Hi Lisa… this one? https://tamararubin.com/2018/11/corelle-plate-with-crazy-daisy-spring-blossom-green-border-pattern-15200-ppm-lead-cadmium/
Let me know if that is not the one you are referring to.
Thank you for commenting.
Tamara
the Lead makes hair grow on your chest. Its good for you!
It may be a concern, bur you need to determine the relevancy. You put yourself more at risk driving a couple miles to church on sunday.
My parents got a full set of Corelle dishes 60+ years ago. When they passed away in the 1990’s my sister inherited the dishes. She used them daily until she passed away at 101.
Wow..
So I must very lead poisoned then. My parents had these since I was born. They STILL have them, and I am 42 years old.
Hi Heather,
Thanks for commenting.
There’s really no way to know if you have been Lead poisoned without being tested. Eating daily of high-lead plates MAY poison someone or may just add to chronic low level lead exposure below the level of detection of most tests.
It might be worth getting a blood lead test from your doctor if you routinely eat off of plates that are painted with Leaded paint. They can also do a urine test or a hair test.
There’s more information on getting tested here: https://tamararubin.com/2019/02/blood-lead-testing-please-get-everyone-in-the-family-tested-since-you-have-been-living-in-a-house-with-high-lead-paint/
Here’s a post about the potential impact of chronic low level exposure on children: https://tamararubin.com/2017/01/toxic_lead/
Here’s a post about symptoms in adults: https://tamararubin.com/2017/01/what-is-the-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-adults-including-college-age-students/
Please let me know if you have any questions after reading these additional links.
Tamara
I agree, maybe get tested.
I’m 43, and grew up with this set and have lead poisoning. But I never would have known without testing.
I agree. I’m not going out to purchase an entirly new set of dishes off of one person’s fear mongering home test. We already live in a world of out of control consumerisim and terror. We don’t need more of it, so I shall keep my vinatge dishes regardless of the pattern and take my chances.
Hi E.
It would seem you have misunderstood something in my post. I am not fear mongering and the testing methodology I use is not a home test. I am reporting scientific data that has been generated by an XRF analyzer, which is an instrument used by government agencies and scientific laboratories to test consumer goods (and other things) for metals. This is the same instrument used by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to test for Lead in consumer goods. If you were to buy one of these new – fully loaded with the appropriate software – the cost is in the range of $50,000 to $65,000…. so – decidedly not a home test.
I report the results of consumer goods testing (using XRF technology) here on my blog and have expressly chosen to not put this information behind a paywall. Since most people do not have access to this information (nor to this type of testing or instrumentation) I provide it here for free so you can have information you would not otherwise have access to and use it to make informed choices for yourself and your family.
Thank you for commenting, even though your comment was snarky, ill-informed, rude and angry. 🙂 Lead exposure leads to reduced I.Q., compromised decision making skills and aggression – as well as symptoms like Tourettes Syndrome (where you might blurt out things without thinking first). You may want to consider getting a Lead test. Here is a post with more information about that: https://tamararubin.com/2019/02/blood-lead-testing-please-get-everyone-in-the-family-tested-since-you-have-been-living-in-a-house-with-high-lead-paint/
Tamara
As a mother of a child with Tourette Syndrome, please be cautious with how you describe the disorder. Most TS individuals do not “blurt out things without thinking first”. Most have motor and vocal tics that do not involve saying words at all.
Hi Lisa, my son also has Tourette’s.
Tamara
I’ve used these plates every day for the past four years. I have two young children, should I have them tested?
Hi Liz, I think getting kiddos tested is always a good idea – especially if they have never been tested or have not been tested recently. The late Dr. John Rosen, a pediatrician interviewed for my documentary film on Lead poisoning, recommended that annual blood lead testing should be done on children through the teen years – just in case there is an overlooked incidental or chronic exposure that could be addressed. Here is a post I wrote with more information about blood lead testing: https://tamararubin.com/2019/02/blood-lead-testing-please-get-everyone-in-the-family-tested-since-you-have-been-living-in-a-house-with-high-lead-paint/
Have you used this exact plate? Or Corelle plates in general?
So, are new corelle dishes safe? What brands are worth purchasing?
Hi again Liz! Sorry I did not answer your questions sooner – I was on the road for nearly the entire month of October (helping families around the country) and am just now taking a moment to get caught up on questions. Here’s a post with some inexpensive choices: https://tamararubin.com/2018/10/toppic-lead-free-dish-set-service-for-four-for-under-55-november-2019-price/
Here’s another post that might have some useful information: https://tamararubin.com/2017/12/are-there-any-modern-clear-glass-dishes-that-are-also-lead-free/
And here’s a third post: https://tamararubin.com/2018/12/asktamara-which-dishes-are-lead-free/
There are several other posts under the tag “Lead Free Dishes” on the blog. You can scroll through my posts tagged with the “Safer Choices” tag as well: https://tamararubin.com/category/safer-choices/
Thank you for commenting.
Tamara
The short answer is yes. With prop 65 in place corelle now tests their patterns to make sure they meet prop 65 requirements. Even products distributed outside California.
Keyword “now”
Thanks for commenting Dan.
Tamara
Looking again at this article and your claim of multiple tests, it occurred to me that you are saying that ALL of these metals are in the pattern of these dishes. Why would they put ALL of these in the paint? The price would be more than the plate is worth. The requirements for lead is no more than 0.100 ppm. If you had these tested, publish the official lab results.
Hi DD,
It sounds like you are new to my work and don’t understand what I do here on this site. Here’s a post with more information: https://tamararubin.com/2016/12/ask-tamara-what-do-you-use-to-test-for-lead/
If you do want to send your plate to a lab for a more official set of results I encourage you to do that, and if you get those results I would be happy to share them on the blog. Testing along those lines is generally in the $300 to $500 range per item.
The results reported on this blog are science-based, accurate and replicable – done using the same instrument used by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for determining the presence of toxic heavy metals in consumer goods sold for use by children. This instrument is accurate without a lab setting needed (it is often used in the field), and use of the instrument does not generate a report.
Tamara
Do you think it’s a safe assumption that any of the Correll dishes (plain white, no designs other than embossing) made with vitrelle glass are all lead free?
Like these for example?
https://m.kohls.com/product/prd-1392469/corelle-swept-16-pc-dinnerware-set.jsp?prdPV=1&userPFM=corelle%20dinnerware&diestoreid=1360&selectShip=true
Or these?
https://m.kohls.com/product/prd-1392473/corelle-cherish-16-pc-dinnerware-set.jsp?prdPV=15&userPFM=corelle%20dishes&diestoreid=1360&selectShip=true
Hi Stacey – yes – all of the plain white modern Corelle that I have tested have been 100% Lead-free (Cadmium-free, Mercury-free and Arsenic-free too!) I think any modern plain white Corelle sold today is a good choice from a toxicant perspective.
Thank you for commenting! Sorry it took so long for me to respond!
Tamara
If the food from these Corelle Dishes is not touching the pattern which is the case usually would it be considered safe to use them?
Hi Betsy,
Thanks for commenting. I think you will see that in normal use it is nearly impossible for food to not touch the pattern.
Tamara
Is it just plates? What about casserole dishes?
Hi R.
Thank you for commenting. Casserole dishes of the era have the same concern.
Here’s the Butterfly Gold casserole dish: https://tamararubin.com/2018/04/leaded-vintage-butterfly-gold-pattern-pyrex-casserole-dish-1972/
Here’s a link to the “casserole dish” category on my blog (scroll through – may be better to look at on a laptop than on your phone): https://tamararubin.com/category/casseroles/
Here’s a post with safe, inexpensive, modern casserole alternatives: https://tamararubin.com/2017/10/saferchoices-casserole-dishes-how-do-i-choose-a-lead-free-casserole-dish/
Please let me know if you have any additional questions.
Tamara Rubin
I have a few side plates with that pattern. The stamp on the bottom is different. Mine are stamped: Corelle Livingware by Corelle. Wonder if they are also thrillingly contaminated?
Hi Sandy
– I have tested dozens in this design (from different years and different models of plates, bowls, etc.) and they have all been positive for either high levels of Lead or Cadmium. I have not yet found one in this pattern that was negative for toxicants.
Thank you for reading and for commenting.
Tamara
Are all colors a concern or is it just the gold? I have these plates with blue paint from my grandparents. Not exactly sure how old but I’d say at least 20 years.
Would this apply also to the old style ones with a sage green floral pattern, or just the hold butterfly ones?
Hi Juanita,
Here’s the link to the green pattern: https://tamararubin.com/2018/11/corelle-plate-with-crazy-daisy-spring-blossom-green-border-pattern-15200-ppm-lead-cadmium/
Thank you for commenting!
Tamara
I am 34 years old and have ate off these plates since I was a kid and just ate off them for thanksgiving this year 2019. My mother always uses these dishes. We all are currently alive and well ♀️
Hi April,
Thank you for commenting. Your comment is profoundly emblematic of the concern.
Please take a look at this post if you would like more information! https://tamararubin.com/2015/02/fine/
Tamara
Alive and well and potentially missing a few IQ points as well
Hi Sarah!
The damage to us (adults) has been done. That is indisputable. Moving forward I think it’s important that we protect future generations to the degree that we can, especially if the choices we can make are simple and inexpensive.
Here are a few posts with additional information you might find useful:
1) https://tamararubin.com/2017/01/toxic_lead/
2) https://tamararubin.com/2015/02/fine/
3) https://tamararubin.com/2017/01/what-is-the-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-adults-including-college-age-students/
4) https://tamararubin.com/2018/10/toppic-lead-free-dish-set-service-for-four-for-under-55-november-2019-price/
Thank you for commenting!
Tamara
Wow… that’s rude. I have eaten ofc these plates since I was born until I moved out. My IQ is 165. Don’t be a jerk.
Lol
Curious – Heather… now that you know they are Leaded, are you still going to continue eating off of them?
– Tamara
Apparently even if you are in possession of an IQ of 165, it still doesn’t guarantee the owner will use it. Or maybe they started off in life with a higher IQ but it got whittled down to 165 from low, long-term exposure to lead in the environment. Maybe in 20 years of eating off the same plates they’ll be average intelligence— still not a guarantee that just because you have the smarts, you’ll use them correctly.
I used this set for many years! ugh. I now have a newer set , do the ones made pretty recently still have lead?
Hi Judy,
How new?
Tamara
Has anyone had bloodwork done?
I’m 55 and too many health issues.
I will try to remember to get metals tested
The Corelle Butterfly Gold pattern was manufactured from 1970 until 1982. Did the lead content change within that 12-year timeframe?
Thank you!
Patrice
Hi Patrice,
Thank you for asking. Some I have tested have been very high in Lead and others have been very high in Cadmium – so, based on my experience it appears there was some change in formulation for the paint used on this pattern – swapping one poison out for another. I have not tested a single example of this pattern that was toxicant free.
Tamara
Have you tested the corelle plates that are white with black lines?
Would the all white plates still have lead?
Hi Mary –
There are so many designs – it is hard to know exactly which ones you are talking about. Here are a couple of examples that might be relevant.
1) https://tamararubin.com/2019/06/corelle-coordinates-white-porcelain-mug-with-black-stripe-design-6300-ppm-lead-90-ppm-is-unsafe-in-kids-items/
2) https://tamararubin.com/2019/06/corelle-coordinates-white-stoneware-dish-with-black-stripe-design-92-ppm-lead-within-safe-range/
The PLAIN WHITE Corelle are Lead free: https://tamararubin.com/2018/11/corelle-vitrelle-plain-white-bowl-purchased-new-in-2017-lead-free/
Here’s a post about how to send one of yours in for testing and reporting on my blog if that is of interest: https://tamararubin.com/2019/08/tamara-can-i-send-you-one-of-my-dishes-to-test-for-lead/
Thank you for commenting.
Tamara
Hello Tamara,
I have the plain white ones and the ones with the floral/fruit decorations in grey on the whole plate are they also loaded with lead?
Hi Jessica!
The plain white ones are fine, here’s an example with XRF test results: https://tamararubin.com/2017/03/corellewhite/
and another: https://tamararubin.com/2018/11/corelle-vitrelle-plain-white-bowl-purchased-new-in-2017-lead-free/
And here are the ones we use in our home: https://tamararubin.com/2016/12/ask-tamara-what-dishes-do-you-use-in-your-home-which-dishes-are-lead-free/
The floral/fruit ones generally are not – I don’t know which pattern you have specifically – but here are a couple examples:
1) https://tamararubin.com/2019/06/vintage-cream-glass-corelle-plate-with-pastel-fruit-leaf-pattern-48800-ppm-lead-90-is-unsafe-for-kids-213-cadmium/
2) https://tamararubin.com/2019/05/vintage-corelle-cream-plate-with-fruit-pattern-14900-400-ppm-lead-327-20-ppm-cadmium/
Is your fruit/floral one one of those above? If not send me a picture and I can let you know if I have tested it: TamaraRubin@mac.com
If you would like to send a dish in for testing and reporting on my blog, here’s the post about that: https://tamararubin.com/2019/08/tamara-can-i-send-you-one-of-my-dishes-to-test-for-lead/
Thank you for commenting.
Tamara
Also – Jessica – here is the full Corelle category you can scroll through: https://tamararubin.com/category/corelle/
Thanks!
Tamara
Good morning! I have the country pattern green and red has a home and apples around the edge! Reports?
Hi Diane,
I am not sure that I am familiar with that pattern, would you like to send me a picture in an e-mail? TamaraRubin@mac.com. If you click the words “Vintage Corelle” in the keyword list at the top of this page you will get a list of all the ones I have posted on the blog so far.
Thank you for commenting.
Thanks!
For obvious reasoms, no. If you read my first comment, I am not the owner of these dishes. I do not live in the house that has them. These are my parents’ dishes. I now know what I am getting them for Christmas. I am wondering if you can actually start a lawsuit against Corelle. Is that company even around anymore?
The company is still around. They still make lead-free (inexpensive) choices too: https://tamararubin.com/2018/10/toppic-lead-free-dish-set-service-for-four-for-under-55-november-2019-price/
Tamara
Where would you like me to mail my small dinner plate with the gold butterfly pattern? I don’t want to throw it away. You can have it for your museum. My email is;xxxx
Thank you, Gina!
I will email you.
Tamara
Are older white Corelle plates safe or just the new ones. Ours are at least 10 years old.
Hi Amy!
Thank you for commenting.
Yes – the older plain white ones are Lead-free as well.
Tamara
I have contacted correlle and the will not replace my dishes, they did offer me 30% off . I have a big family so I own about 60 plates. I think they should do the right thing and replace them. Thank you. I am throwing them out
Hi, I read your artical last night. I have my mothers dishes. Apricot Grove from corelle. Do they contain lead?
I tried searching but could not find.
Thank you.
Patty
I also have that pattern and love them! i am hoping they do not contain lead but according to this article, it sounds like nearly all the vintage Corelle dishes contain lead. If they do, I will be SO SAD!
I bought my yellow butterfly dishes 40 years ago…and we have used the dishes for 40 years with my family…raised 3 kids eating off of them..and not once was any of us found with lead poisoning! Goodness…always something for someone to fuss about…makes me wonder what will be next! My family have ate off of Corelle dishes since I was a teen…and my moma is 90 years old…not once has she been diagnosed with lead poisoning..and none of the rest of my siblings or their families have been either!! We all use them!!…. I think someone made this stuff up…just to get people to stop buying Corelle dishes..and to buy theirs! Just Sayin’!!!
Many of us, including me have inherited this dishes and ate off of them for most of ours lives. One one end it would be nice if it was a lie because that would mean they were safe (the bad side being either Tamara is a liar or made a grave mistake, which I don’t believe). Unfortunately the evidence shows otherwise and we can’t ignore that.
We may never know specifically what this dishes (if anything) did to us personally because many health issues are ‘invisible’, take a long time to show up, can have symptoms of another issue, etc. But w can least be informed and decide how we want to proceed. We can get lead tests and we can choose to practice risk reduction and stop using this dishes.
The world isn’t sterile. There are a lot of things that can hurt us. All we can do is be informed and try and make the best choices for ourselves and our families (if applicable). I will say though: if an adult wants to keep unseeing leaded items after learning the risks, that’s their choice. But please don’t force that health risk onto children or other vulnerable people that can’t choose for themselves.
That’s what scared and saddens and scares me the most about some of this comments; people becoming informed and choosing not just to put themselves at risk but others as well.
*”If an adult wants to keep using leaded dishes” pardon the typo.
Oh and Corelle has admitted their older dishes contain lead, though they still don’t take responsibility for it or seem to care that anyone may have been harmed by them.
https://tamararubin.com/2019/12/breaking-news-12-26-19-corelle-recommends-using-their-pre-2005-dishes-only-as-decorative-pieces-due-to-concerns-for-high-levels-of-lead/
They aren’t wrong that most ‘everyone was doing it’ but that’s an immature answer. I don’t trust companies that say stuff like that because it shows they don’t really stand behind their products, which includes making things right regardless of what others are doing. To little too late as far as I’m concerned( with their newer dishes).
I’m pretty sure I read here somewhere also that Tupperware gave a similar response when a reader wanted to return their supposedly lifetime guaranteed pieces.
Obviously, you have not read about the author and why she has taken her time and money to do the research on lead, cadmium and other toxins in dinnerware. She is passing the findings along out of concern for our safety. You really were rude due to your ignorance and you truly owe Tamara a heartfelt, repentant apology.
I have the Corelle dishes with a strawberry pattern in the middle of the plate. We have been using them for 45 years. Are these high in Lead? I just ordered some plain white Corelle dishes to replace them. Thanks, Diana
Plain white Corelle is definitely the way to go! Tamara does not have test results for the strawberry pattern on her webpage yet. Here is some info on how to send in a dish to be tested if you are interested 🙂 https://tamararubin.com/2019/08/tamara-can-i-send-you-one-of-my-dishes-to-test-for-lead/
We have the same plates from the 1980s growing up and they’re still being used everyday now. My father passed when he was 88… and my mom is now 84… I guess they’ll live longer if it weren’t for these plates…
Has there been any testing anywhere on Winfield China? They are no longer made. My husband sold them during his college days so we have a sample set and I love the patterns. I also have the gold butterfly Corell dishes given to us in 1972. I am considering discarding those and using the Winfield plates.
Hi Anne – please email me a picture so I can weigh in.
Here’s more info here:
https://tamararubin.com/2019/08/tamara-can-i-send-you-one-of-my-dishes-to-test-for-lead/
T
I got my Butterfly Gold dishes from my Grandmother. Used them all my life. Someone noticed a dish in the background of a picture my wife posted to Facebook and informed her about the lead. I was skeptical about the validity of this, but I have two kids so I felt obligated to research it. Here are my findings:
-As noted on this site by Tamara, the dishes contain paint with lead on the order of 18,700 ppm. Though the specifics of how the samples are collected is not mentioned on this site (only a reference to a standard), I’m speculating that the dishes used for testing were either broken, or the outer glazing was removed to access the paint.
-As noted above, the plates were made by encapsulating the paint in the glazing. Tamara is testing the paint itself. Corelle says their dishes are tested and the amount of leachable lead is less than 0.1 ppm, but that would be for new dishes.
-Corelle says their plates made before 2005 should be used for decoration only. That statement means nothing to me. That is a CYA statement from a major corporation. I’m interested in real world scenarios, not corporate legal games.
-Another website says the dishes are safe, but does not mention how they arrived at this conclusion.
Based on these findings, I decided to try an at home lead test kit. I went with the kit made by 3M since they are a reputable company. The test is done by rubbing this pen around that has a cotton-like tip with a brown liquid oozing out of the tip. If the tip turns pink or red, there is lead. I tested two dishes where the pattern is starting to fade. As suspected, the center of the dishes were fine. The tests on the painted edge came back positive. You could see places where the brown liquid on the plate was turning pink where the pattern was starting to fade. According to the directions, the test can pick up lead in paint with a concentration as little as 300 ppm, but that is in reference to a painted wall.
In summary, if you have dishes where the pattern is fading, you probably have exposed paint that has at least 300 ppm of lead. If the pattern is not fading, chances are the paint is still encapsulated in the glazing.
I’m posting this to help others like me with a scientific brain that are interested in real world scenarios. If I was still single, I would probably toss the plates with the faded pattern and keep the ones that appear newer. But since I have a two year old and a five year old, and since a majority of the plates are starting to fade, I’m going to begrudgingly get rid of the plates and get new ones. However, the bowls have the paint on the outside, so we will continue to use those for the time being. Not sure how others do it, but I eat from the inside of the bowl, not the outside.
My comments regarding other posts… The question of IQ came up in a lot of these posts. Not sure what mine is, but I do have a masters in engineering, so I’d like to think I’m not a total idiot. Many people on this thread have the approach of “I’ve used these dishes for 40 years and I’m fine…”. That is probably true because the paint was safely encapsulated by the glazing for the first couple decades. Prop 65 is mentioned, but Prop 65 means nothing to me. According to Prop 65, everything gives you cancer. Most of the people on this thread are either excessively paranoid, or totally disregard this potential threat. I am somewhere in the middle. I don’t know how the paranoid people enjoy life when they run around worrying about everything, but I cannot dismiss something like this that has the potential to harm my children when it is a threat that is within my power to mitigate.
I will not be back on this site, so don’t look for me to respond to questions or comments. Just wanted to pass along my experience in hopes of helping some other schmuck like me looking for real world answers.
And now my CYA statement, I am a schmuck that did some scratching around on Google. This is not a comprehensive scientific study and the little testing I did do is a simple home test kit which carries with it limited accuracy and results. If in doubt, get rid of the dishes or find your own information from a credible source.
My testing methodology is linked in the header on every page of the site
Here’s that link – I use “real science” not home test kits.
https://tamararubin.com/2016/12/ask-tamara-what-do-you-use-to-test-for-lead/
These plates do NOT have an external glaze over the lead paint. My testing methodology does NOT require destructive testing.
I have won two awards from the federal government for my work.
My work was featured on CBS This Morning when I discovered Lead in Fidget spinners.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fidget-spinners-high-levels-of-lead-consumer-advocacy-organization-report/
I have also been on the Today Show, CBS, CNN, WebMD, ABC, Fox and many others.
Here’s the warning note from Corelle:
https://tamararubin.com/2019/12/breaking-news-12-26-19-corelle-recommends-using-their-pre-2005-dishes-only-as-decorative-pieces-due-to-concerns-for-high-levels-of-lead/
Sorry you won’t be back to my site (my work is a resource for parents of small kids to help them protect their kids.)
My son who has a brain injury from Lead poisoning also has a very high IQ. IQ is not the only impact. Here are some symptoms for adults and children (they include heart issues / increased risk of heart attacks and birth and fertility complications.)
https://tamararubin.com/2019/12/what-are-the-symptoms-of-lead-poisoning-in-adults-in-children/
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
http://www.LeadSafeMama.com
TamaraRubin@mac.com
Also – calling yourself “Ben Dover” exhibits a lack of critical judgement and civility – both can be outcomes of Lead exposure.
T
I thought using the alias “Ben Dover” was funny as it was meant to be a joke. Mood disorders can also be an outcome of lead exposure and you have been handling lots of lead throughout the years.
I overlooked the link about the testing. My bad.
Perhaps the paint is not encapsulated in the dish, but based on my observation, something was covering the lead. Lead is a heavy metal. When the liquid paint was applied to the dish, perhaps the lead within the paint settled to the bottom and other components of the paint dried on top of the lead. Just a thought. I don’t know how dishes are made nor do I know the specifics of the hardening of lead paint.
I understand that you use XRF testing that is much more suitable than at home test kits.
I am aware of your awards, news appearances, work with fidget spinners, etc. My post was not meant to take away from that by any means.
I noted Corelle’s warning in my post, although I did not include a link.
I simply met I would not be back to the site to respond to comments, although here I am. An email with your response came through (even though I did not check the boxes about email notifications), so I thought I would respond.
I am aware that there are other impacts as a result of lead poisoning. I touched on the IQ one since it was brought up in past posts.
I’m terribly sorry for the tragedy that has befallen your son. Keep fighting the good fight for everyone, particularly the children.
Oh yes – leach testing standards do not apply to most vintage kitchenware. In most cases they were made BEFORE leach testing standards.
T
I’m guessing the leach testing mentioned by Corelle was done on new dishes. Regardless, it is testing done by Corelle (or a third party being paid by Corelle). Perhaps I am being paranoid here, but the test results done at the order of a company under fire for putting lead in their products should probably be taken with a grain of salt.
Is your feeling any difference about things like mixing bowls where the paint is on the outside of the dish?
Hello April! Thank you for commenting.
Please read this post that discusses that question:
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/
This post also goes into more detail and has a couple of short videos:
https://tamararubin.com/2021/12/please-stop-using-vintage-pyrex-glassware-for-cooking-serving-food-its-often-painted-with-high-lead-paint-can-test-positive-for-cadmium-and-arsenic-too/
Tamara
I have my grandmothers golden butterfly set. These dishes were used daily since she got them in the 50’s, by my grandparents, their kids and all of us grandchildren. None of us have ever had lead poisoning. When I saw your article I ordered lead swabs to test them myself, just to be safe. The swabs came back with absolutely no lead detected. Can you explain why some would test positive and others not?
Some are high in Cadmium (which causes cancer) and not Lead. I have found this to be true specifically for the Butterfly Gold dishes. They must have replaced the lead with Cadmium at some point.
T
Hi,
The butterfly gold cups, bowls, mugs which have the design not in contact with food or drink, would it be safe to use?
How can I tell what year my dishes were made in? My stamp says Corelle by Corning Ont he bottom and they seem newer in this design
Thank you
Hi Elisha – unfortunately if it is one of these older patterns it likely has either unsafe levels of Lead (which is a neurotoxin) or unsafe levels of Cadmium (which causes cancer) so I don’t recommend keeping them (because the age of manufacture is not noted on any of these dishes.) But here’s what I found online: “The Butterfly Gold pattern was released both in 1972 and again in 1979 with an altered design. The original pattern was one large central flower flanked by a leaf, flower, and butterfly on each side on alternating white and orange bowls. The 1979 pattern portrayed a bouquet of smaller flowers on stems”
Tamara
18K ppm is high indeed, one part in 50.
I am elderly and regularly eat off plates with this Butterfly Gold pattern. What I am really interested to know, is what your lead & cadmium readings are for the non-decorated center of this plate?
Hello,
I am going to throw away all my Corelle Butterfly Gold and Country Violets plates with patterns on them. Do solid-color (blue or white) Corelle bowls and mugs without patterns contain lead? Is it the pattern paint or the content of the material in the dishes that contain the lead? I will wait to throw my solid color bowls and mugs away until I hear from you. Thank you very much.
I am passing your information on to my family and friends. Thank you!
Sad to say I am the former owner of a large amount of the gold butterfly dishes. Before my husband and I got married he had been given these by a friend of his mom’s who was downsizing and thought she was helping a single guy getting started on his own. Once we were married we continued using these dishes daily, from plates to serving items, for over 20 years. We raised two girls during this time and all four of us used these dishes daily. When my youngest left for college she persuaded me to sell the dishes in favor of a new smaller set of a different brand. I did sell them to a young lady who said she always wanted them because they were like her grandma”s dishes. Now we find they are dangerous. I am upset we used them so long and I passed them to someone else. I’m wondering if the folks in some of these comments work for Corelle? What do they need as proof that they should stop using the dishes? I mean if they want to continue to be poisoned I guess you can’t stop them? I’m just blown away by the attitude shown to you. “When you know better, do better” Maya Angelou
Here it is 2023 and I’m just finding out about this. I appreciate your work, ty!
I’m 53 and have been using the old Corelle plates (big, medium, small) and bowls since I was born. My Mom gave me a set when I was married in ’99 and they were definitely vintage. So today I got rid of them all and ordered new Corelle, all plain white. Now I have to research my casserole dishes, etc. Having suffered severe depression on and off since my late teens and mild to moderate anxiety, I’m very curious to discover if this might have been the source.
Again, thanks, I’m going to post this to my FB account as well. Good luck!
Btw, I’m going to read your story and watch the documentary. I’m touched by what I’ve learned so far.
Thank you so much! How did you find out about my work? I’m also 53! I was lucky (from this perspective) because my mother was a potter and she was aware of the Lead concern, so growing up we always ate off of Lead-free dishes that she made herself. On the other hand I grew up in a Lead-painted Victorian-era farmhouse in New England and was exposed to more than my fair share of Lead paint. For me it’s always #KnowBetterDoBetter and don’t take the word of corporations at face value – in this area they always spin the truth. Corelle’s most recent statements are that their vintage dishes only have a “small amount” of Lead – but the amount they contain is in no way small when you compare it to the amount that is considered unsafe to humans and animals from an exposure perspective.