1990 Archives - Lead Safe Mama

1988/89 (?) Pterodactyl Welch’s Jelly jar (purple & white): 103,600 ppm LEAD & 2,706 ppm Cadmium (a known carcinogen)

July 19, 2022April 25, 2024

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,…

1988 (?) Tyrannosaurus Rex Welch’s Jelly jar (orange & white): 123,600 ppm LEAD — LEAD PAINT on a JELLY JAR (again!)

July 19, 2022April 25, 2024

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,…

1990 Tom & Jerry Welch’s Jelly jar (Jerry on a white kite): 123,500 ppm LEAD — LEAD PAINT on a JELLY JAR from 1990!

July 12, 2022April 25, 2024

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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,…

Vintage (1990s?) TYCO plastic building blocks (Duplo-style): Lead-free, Cadmium-free, Arsenic-free!

February 23, 2020February 23, 2020

Green TYCO building block – 30 seconds Copper (Cu): 150 +/- 15 ppm Nickel (Ni): 13 +/- 8 ppm Iron (Fe): 55 +/- 20 ppm Titanium (Ti): 2,167 +/- 295 ppm Continue reading below the image. Red TYCO building block – 30 seconds Barium (Ba): 189 +/- 108 ppm Bromine (Br): 19 +/- 3 ppm Iron…

Blue vintage (1990s?) Duplo building block – by Lego: Lead-free, Cadmium-free, Arsenic-free, Mercury-free!

February 23, 2020

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Blue Block – 30 second reading Barium (Ba): 198 +/- 108 ppm Copper (Cu): 538 +/- 28 ppm Iron (Fe): 38 +/- 24 ppm Titanium (Ti): 8,650 +/- 480 ppm This piece is discussed in detail on this video – link here. I will update this post shortly, but just wanted to start by making sure the XRF readings were…

Vintage (1990s?) AAA rubber toy blue whale (made in China): Lead-free, Antimony-free, Cadmium-free, Arsenic-free & Mercury-free!

February 23, 2020February 23, 2020

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Whale – 60 second test Barium (Ba): 492 +/- 56 ppm Br (Bromine): 22 +/- 5 pm Zinc (Zn): 304 +/- 33 ppm Iron (Fe): 210 +/- 68 ppm Titanium (Ti): 15,100 +/- 1,800 ppm This piece is discussed in detail on this video – link here. I will update this post shortly, but just…

Another reason to avoid vintage toys — toy triceratops: 6,298 ppm Lead. This would be illegal if made today.

August 30, 2019July 13, 2023

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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)…

Arzberg white ceramic dinner plate, made in Germany – c. 1987 – 1992: Lead-safe when tested with an XRF instrument [55 ppm].

August 22, 2019August 22, 2019

When tested with an XRF instrument, the white ceramic Arzberg (Germany) dish pictured here (purchased by the owner at Crate & Barrel sometime between 1987 and 1992) had the following readings… Bottom of plate (over logo area): Lead (Pb): 55 +/- 13 ppm Iron (Fe): 2,497 +/- 219 ppm Bismuth (Bi): 52 +/- 12 ppm…

1990 Mirage Studios Playmates Toys Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Figurine: Lead Free, Cadmium Free, Arsenic Free!

May 28, 2019

Every single color of this little Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle figurine was tested and not one of them was positive for anything bad (from the standpoint of XRF detectable metals discoverable in consumer goods mode). This figurine from 1990 was negative / non-detect for the following metals when tested with an XRF instrument: Cadmium Lead…

c. 1980-1990 Corelle Fruit Pattern Plate: 14,900 ppm Lead & 327 ppm Cadmium (90 ppm Pb is unsafe)

May 18, 2019July 17, 2023

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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)…

Larami Toys brachiosaurus toy dinosaur: 2,213 ppm Lead, 2,721 ppm Antimony. This toy would be illegal if made today.

April 18, 2019April 18, 2019

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Scroll down to see additional images, including picture of Dino next to Lego-guy for size! The amount of Lead that is considered unsafe and illegal in a modern item manufactured for use by children today is anything 90 ppm or higher in the paint or coating or anything 100 ppm or higher in the substrate….

Corningware (c. 1985-1990) Pastel Bouquet Pattern Casserole: 20,400 ppm Lead + 205 Cadmium [90 ppm Lead is toxic.]

December 27, 2018July 29, 2020

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As expected, the exterior decorative painted flowers on this vintage Pastel Bouquet pattern Corningware casserole was positive for high levels of Lead when tested with an XRF instrument. Here’s a link to a post on a blog that helps to date many of the Corningware patterns. To learn more about XRF testing, click here. To…

Older Corelle Iris Design White Glass Plate: 1,895 ppm Lead (90 ppm is unsafe for kids).

November 26, 2017August 12, 2019

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Older Corelle plate with decorative iris pattern Year of manufacture of this exact plate pictured here (the one I tested) is not known, however my readers updated me (August 2019) to tell me they have purchased this exact design (new at the store) in 1989 AND in 2019! I would be very interested in testing…

c. 1996 Mikasa Optima White Bowl, Made in Indonesia: 46,200 ppm Lead (90 ppm is unsafe for kids’ items.)

January 14, 2017May 18, 2019

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When tested with an XRF instrument this white ceramic Mikasa bowl tested postive for 46,200 ppm lead. For context: the amount of Lead that is considered unsafe in a newly manufactured item intended for use by children is 90 ppm Lead (or higher) in the paint, glaze or coating or 100 ppm Lead (or higher)…