Introduction (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, her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005. Since 2009 Tamara has been using 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. Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February of 2023.
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The two images below are screenshots of a text sent to me by a friend and long-time member of the Lead Safe Mama community.
Text with the above image: “Look what I got today – funny part is I didn’t share anything about “recall…” just petition and other ones of yours”
Important text from the image above (screenshot from Facebook): “Independent fact-checkers reviewed the photo and said it was false.” – also, “People who repeatedly share false information might have their posts moved lower in News Feed so other people are less likely to see them.”
Monday – January 30, 2023
My friend Patti sent me the images above, screenshots from her Facebook page tonight. What these screenshots (along with Patti’s note) clearly demonstrate is that even though Lead Safe Mama NEVER said there was an active recall of the Lead-contaminated KitchenAid stand mixer attachment products (we created a petition to demand a recall but did not say a recall had already been initiated) our work is being censored; the science-based, accurate information that supports the fact that there is Lead in KitchenAid products (which is actually confirmed by the public statements from Whirlpool in this matter) is being censored – specifically as a result of the USA Today “Fact Checking” article written by BrieAnna Frank.
In response, I wrote the email below to BrieAnna and asked her to continue this inquiry by writing a follow-up piece with the truth (about the Lead in the stand mixer attachments) – as the truth is much more interesting than the nonsense that is being shared in the current news cycle. Please feel free to send BrieAnna a follow-up email on behalf of the science-based legitimate work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC.
Here’s the email I sent to BrieAnna this evening (with a few minor corrections for clarification).
Time Sent: 6:25 p.m. PST, 1/30/2023
To: bfrank@usatoday.com
Subject Line: Hi BrieAnna, I’m the person who tested KitchenAid and found lead….
Lead Safe Mama, LLC filed the violation report (for the KitchenAid attachments) with the CPSC on Saturday (1/28/23 – link below). The work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC was responsible for three CPSC product recalls in 2022. We (Lead Safe Mama, LLC) never said there had already been a KitchenAid attachment recall (someone on social media made that up, however we did start a petition to demand a recall) but that doesn’t change the fact that these KitchenAid stand mixer attachment products do test positive for Lead (at levels that would be considered illegal if they were determined by the CPSC to be items intended for use by children.)
My CPSC violation filing:
Note announcing the filing
The Change.org petition demanding a recall of some of these products (which currently has over 5,600 signatures):
Other Lead Safe Mama, LLC initiated recalls of 2022:
A note to the Verify reporters (they started blocking messages after we published this and we have screenshots of that):
A fact check of our own (we never said there was a recall, we only said there was unsafe levels of Lead in the products if they were to be considered a Children’s item/ item for use by children – see also first link above):
Video showing testing of one item (see video #8 in the thread):
A point-by-point response to KitchenAid’s boilerplate statement about their “111-Year-History”
Original 2022 overview article about the issue:
Original 2017 article about the issue:
Email: TamaraRubin@mac.com
Here are two screenshots of the email as written (without formatting or corrections/edits for clarification)
There is some overlap between these two images so you can see where they end / begin.
Thank you for keeping us informed. Appreciate the work you do.
Thank you.
Ooof, keep fighting the good fight! Standing ovation mama.
So grateful for all your hard work and dedication to keep our babies/families safe! So sorry you’re having to deal with articles like this and having to “justify” your work. Those of us that follow you and look to your for advice and guidance are so grateful for you & the work you do. Please never give up.
I’ll never understand what possesses companies to defend the use of dangerous materials like this, or to use them in their products in the first place. I get for the money, but at some point someone they love will be exposed too, even if thats just themselves.
You should get out of Fakebook right away. Not a good place to be.
Thank you for fighting the good fight! You have done so much good in the world already by bringing this type of thing to people’s attention and getting the word out. There is no doubt in my mind that horrible “journalists” like this one are doing it intentionally. They are not so unable to read as to have mistakenly thought that you said there was a recall when there wasn’t. They do this on purpose in order to create confusion in the mind of readers and make them think the misinformation is that there is lead. When the only misinformation is their own “fact checking” falsehoods. I don’t know why these people have no morals or how they sleep at night. Thankfully there are people like you who still actually care about the children and other fellow humans. I am very grateful for you and your work.
Hi Tamara, almost four weeks after my email request for lead-free attachments, I received a response from KitchenAid, which reads as follows:
“ Throughout our 111-year history, Whirlpool Corporation has been committed to providing safe products for our consumers.
The company’s aluminum alloy stand mixer accessories, including the beaters, dough hooks and whisks, are tested through a third party, independant laboratory to ensure they comply with all applicable regulations in the locations where they are sold regarding lead content. They are safe for any family’s cooking needs.
Sincerely,
Lisa W.
e-Solutions Specialist
KitchenAid Customer eXperience Center
I am so disappointed in this response. Thank you for all you do!
That’s infuriating.
I find their response to this situation only deepens my distrust in them. They have been alerted to the situation, if they responded by saying they were complying with all regulations, but have now decided to go beyond that to be extra careful, we could move past their initial inclusion of lead with a bit more forgiveness bc at least now they would have decided to do the right thing. They could even offer a rebate for new stainless steel attachments for any concerned ppl if they can’t go as far as replacing them for free. But no, they are sticking by it, anything to not admit there was anything wrong with their product. Says a lot about the company.