
Published: December 25, 2021 – Saturday
A reader sent these toys to me for testing (they were ordered directly from Target’s website), because there were some rumors on the Internet (Facebook mama groups specifically, as I understand it) that these toys tested positive for Lead.
- The toys pictured did not test positive for Lead — using XRF technology [which tests down to the levels of single-digit parts per million].
- The people who tested these and asserted that they were positive for Lead likely used off-brand home test kits — which are known to give false-positive test results for consumer goods.
- Most toys cannot be tested with any type of reactive-agent home test kit (read more about that here).
Please do not use home test kits to test consumer goods (do not waste your money on them). Instead, please start your inquiry by looking up products here on LeadSafeMama.com to see if it is something we may have tested. Start by watching this short video, which is a little tutorial to show you how to search the 3,100 posts and pages here on LeadSafeMama.com.
What did the XRF test results of these toys show?
There were components that did test positive for trace levels of heavy metals (safe by all standards) on these specific toys, but not one single component tested positive for Lead (in any amount) using XRF technology [which is the same highly-accurate scientific methodology used for testing consumer goods for heavy metals that is used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC.)] Please scroll down to see pictures and read the full test results for each component of these toys.
Full XRF test results for the toys pictured:
Reading #1) Plain wood of unpainted animal (what is this animal – lol!)
60-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): non-detect
- Bromine (Br): non-detect
- Iron (Fe): 30 +/- 8 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 177 +/- 41 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Reading #2) Peach and gray nose of unpainted animal
60-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): 61 +/- 22 ppm
- Bromine (Br): non-detect
- Iron (Fe): 22 +/- 8 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 25 +/- 3 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 9,610 +/- 138 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 209 +/- 34 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Reading #3) Gray hair of unpainted animal
60-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): 58 +/- 19 ppm
- Bromine (Br): non-detect
- Iron (Fe): 51 +/- 8 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 20 +/- 2 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 5,587 +/- 110 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 200 +/- 32 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Reading #4) Yellow ears of unpainted animal
60-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): 45 +/- 16 ppm
- Bromine (Br): 314 +/- 3 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 1,910 +/- 22 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 820 +/- 9 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 504 +/- 73 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 204 +/- 34 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Reading #5) Black logo on bottom of unpainted animal
60-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): non-detect
- Bromine (Br): non-detect
- Iron (Fe): 88 +/- 9 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 7 +/- 2 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 243 +/- 42 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Continue reading below the image
Reading #6) Pink paint of Pig
60-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): non-detect
- Bromine (Br): non-detect
- Iron (Fe): 57 +/- 9 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 24 +/- 3 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 18,500 +/- 200 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 137 +/- 29 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Reading #7) Pink ears of Pig
60-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): non-detect
- Bromine (Br): 3 +/- 1 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 2,503 +/- 31 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 1,682 +/- 16 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 11,300 +/- 200 ppm
- Antimony (Sb): 13 +/- 7 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 165 +/- 36 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Continue reading below the image.
Reading #8) Peach face of Lamb
60-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): 68 +/- 27 ppm
- Bromine (Br): non-detect
- Iron (Fe): 32 +/- 10 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 20 +/- 3 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 34,500 +/- 200 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 78 +/- 25 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Reading #9) Off-White/Tan body of Lamb
60-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Bromine (Br): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): 37 +/- 23 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 25 +/- 9 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 24 +/- 3 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 18,000 +/- 200 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 154 +/- 30 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Continue reading below the image
Reading #10) Off-White body of Chicken
60-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Bromine (Br): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): 50 +/- 27 ppm
- Iron (Fe0: 47 +/- 10 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 39 +/- 3 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 25,800 +/- 200 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 161 +/- 29 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Continue reading below the image
Reading #11) Black spots of Cow
60-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): non-detect
- Bromine (Br): non-detect
- Iron (Fe): 41 +/- 9 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 56 +/- 3 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 16,400 +/- 200 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 136 +/- 42 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Reading #12) Black ears of Cow
60-second test (overlap with metal screw)
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): non-detect
- Bromine (Br): 25 +/- 2 ppm
- Vanadium (V): 116 +/- 76 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 4,748 +/- 53 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 6,479 +/- 50 ppm
- Arsenic (As): 3 +/- 1 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 4,315 +/- 138 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 183 +/- 42 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Continue reading below the image
Reading #13) Focus on screw at ears of Cow
60-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): 36 +/- 7 ppm
- Bromine (Br): 14 +/- 2 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): 109 +/- 14 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 12,000 +/- 100 ppm
- Nickel (Ni): 11 +/- 4 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 53 +/- 9 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 16,200 +/- 100 ppm
- Arsenic (As): 9 +/- 1 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 6,118 +/- 97 ppm
- Antimony (Sb): 10 +/- 6 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 136 +/- 24 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Continue reading below the image
Reading #14) Light Gray of Donkey (? – is this a donkey?)
30-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Bromine (Br): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): 62 +/- 37 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 58 +/- 14 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 22 +/- 4 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 20,700 +/- 200 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 155 +/- 44 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Reading #15) Dark Gray of Donkey
60-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): non-detect
- Bromine (Br): non-detect
- Iron (Fe): 48 +/- 10 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 26 +/- 3 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 26,000 +/- 200 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 124 +/- 30 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
Reading #16) Black ears of Donkey
30-second test
- Lead (Pb): non-detect
- Cadmium (Cd): non-detect
- Mercury (Hg): non-detect
- Antimony (Sb): non-detect
- Arsenic (As): non-detect
- Chromium (Cr): non-detect
- Bromine (Br): 768 +/- 7 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 1,631 +/- 30 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 987 +/- 14 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 4,754 +/- 147 ppm
- Antimony (Sb): 59 +/- 9 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 174 +/- 45 ppm
- No other metals detected in consumer goods mode.
All components (& colors of paint) have been tested multiple times to confirm the test results. Each result set above is one full reading for the component – a reading set that is representative of all readings done. Test results reported here on LeadSafeMama.com / TamaraRubin.com are replicable, science-based and accurate.
Here are some links to other posts here on LeadSafeMama.com that might be of interest to you:
- A post discussing the testing methodology used for test results reported here on LeadSafeMama.com
- More Target-related posts
- More “Made In China” posts
- More Hearth & Hand With Magnolia product posts
- More wood toy posts
- More modern toys
- The “Vintage Toys” section on this website.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for reading and sharing about this work — independent consumer goods testing directed and supported by the readers and social media followers of all accounts related to Lead Safe Mama, LLC (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook – and direct readership here on the website!)
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments on this post. I will do my best to answer them as soon as I have a moment [however, it may take a while, given I often have my hands full with children (since the start of the pandemic especially), so please be patient.]
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
Owner – Lead Safe Mama, LLC
Portland, Oregon – USA
For those new to this website:
Tamara Rubin is a Federal-award-winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children. Tamara’s sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in August of 2005. She began testing consumer goods for toxicants in 2009 and was the parent-advocate responsible for finding Lead in the popular fidget spinner toys in 2017. Tamara uses XRF testing (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. Please click through to this link to learn more about the testing methodology used for the test results discussed and reported on this website.
Thank you so much for testing these If my kid doesn’t mouth these, are these safe to play with. Would these levels come off when touched and played with hands. Could you please let me know your thoughts. Thank you!