For those new to this 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 sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (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). Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February 2023 (March 2023 print edition).
These are responses to the 15 most asked questions/ 15 most popular comments on the Lead Safe Mama website — specifically related to the subject of antiques/ collectibles/ vintage dishware and similar:
- For folks who say they used vintage items and turned out fine, I share this link.
- For others who say they used them their whole life and have no symptoms of Lead poisoning, I share this link.
- For folks who assert that the allegations must be false because it would be illegal for plates to have Lead, I often share this link.
- For folks who say there is no “real” science backing up the (science-based) “claims” (scientific test results reported here), I often share this link to the scientific study from England about Lead paint on glassware.
- For folks who cite the 2016 Snopes Pyrex article as the reason they don’t believe this work is true, I share this link.
- For folks who ask how we test things here at LeadSafeMama.com, I share this link.
- For folks who ask if they can test things themselves at home, I share this link.
- For folks who say this work is generating fear, I share this link.
- For folks who say they are worried they have poisoned their kids, I share this link.
- For folks who want to know more about the work we do at Lead Safe Mama, LLC, I share this link.
- For folks who might appreciate seeing my XRF training certificate, I share this link.
- For folks who ask “… but is this really a problem?” I share this link.
- For folks who ask how much Lead it takes to poison a human (or a child), I share this link.
- For folks who ask about getting tested for Lead, I share this link.
- For folks who ask about how to test one of their dishes, I share this link.
Thank you for reading!
I have some patterns that you do not have listed. the “true blue” and “silk blossoms” and “oceanview.” how can i tell if these are safe? it is difficult to figure out when they were manufactured. thank you.
I have been using Corelle dishes for about 29 years in my home. I can’t remember the name of the pattern but it has pansies in the centre of plate with white fluted edge. I have not found this pattern on any of the articles so how do I know if it has lead?
Also, are plain white corelle dishes OK to use?
I have 2 Ello aluminum water bottles, purchased from REI, and received as a gift. Have you tested these for lead? I’m asking because some of the outside coating is starting to come off the bottom, assume due to excessive use. I looked through your site and didn’t come up with anything by that name. Thank you….Sherri