Subject: Lead painted baby bottles made in Germany & sold in U.S.

 

Hello!

I am an American mother of Lead poisoned children. Since my children were poisoned, 100% of my life (personal and professional) is focused on childhood Lead poisoning prevention.

My work is as an environmental activist with a focus on childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety. I use XRF technology to test for toxic heavy metals (Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury, Lead, Antimony, etc.) in everyday household items – with an emphasis on items intended for use by children.

Through my work I have found that NUK brand baby bottles— (Manufactured in Germany) sold in the United States via Amazon third party vendors— test positive for high-Lead-content paint (with levels in the 20,000 ppm range) when tested with an XRF instrument.

While I understand this is a regulatory loophole and is considered legal (by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission), I think it should not be allowed — not in the United States and not in Germany.

There are many many many other brands of glass baby bottles that have managed to find alternatives to Lead paint for their decorative markings and measurement markings, so this is not a situation where there is no safer alternative.

Since the United States government is ignoring the issue I was wondering if – instead – Germany could be the role model and take action. If you become a leader on this issue perhaps Canada (which also allows Lead paint on glassware) and the United States will follow your Lead.

I would be happy to help you with this in any way possible.

You have already proven yourself as a leader in protecting children’s health (with a better standard / threshold for a level of concern when children test positive for a low level of Lead in their blood) so it does seem like an opportunity… an opportunity for you to serve as a role model for the rest of the world with such a simple and obvious thing: banning Lead paint on baby bottles and baby feeding products (like reusable glass baby food jars.)

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Tamara Rubin
LeadSafeMama.com
TamaraRubin@mac.com
Lead Safe Mama, LLC
7933 SE 15th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97202
USA

Here’s a link to my post about the issue:
https://tamararubin.com/2021/06/warning-summer-2021-stop-using-nuk-brand-glass-baby-bottles-until-further-notice-lead-paint-found-in-exterior-decorations/

And Nuk’s response on social media:
https://tamararubin.com/2021/06/nuks-response-to-my-findings-and-now-im-getting-a-bit-angry/

Also a post from a couple of years ago about the same brand:
https://tamararubin.com/2019/02/another-baby-bottle-with-lead-paint-nuk-glass-bottle-19900-ppm-lead-why-are-regulatory-agencies-ignoring-this-issue/

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