Made In China

Yellow Vinyl Coated Garage Bike Storage Hook (c. 2002, Home Depot): 4,440 ppm Lead [90 is unsafe in kids items.]

June 3, 2019June 3, 2019

When tested with an XRF instrument, the yellow vinyl-coated steel garage / bike storage hook (purchased new at Home Depot in 2002) had the following readings: Yellow “rubberized” component tested Lead (Pb): 4,440 +/- 83 ppm Barium (Ba): 213 +/- 37 ppm Chromium (Cr): 903 +/- 133 ppm Bromine (Br): 18 +/- 5 ppm Zinc…

One of my most disappointing finds recently: purple 2019 ForLife Q Tea Cup w Handle “lead-free” mug: 541 ppm Lead

May 23, 2019January 21, 2023

4 Comments

This story is a perfect example of why I hate recommending any mass-produced product!… Earlier this year (2019) I bought a set of these mugs [ ForLife Q Tea Cup with Handle 10 ounce purple mugs ] as a birthday gift for my good friend Carissa (because I had tested a cute unicorn mug of hers…

Vintage Red Vinyl Measuring Tape for Sewing: 4,054 ppm Lead. [90 ppm Lead is unsafe in kids items.]

May 22, 2019July 12, 2020

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When tested with a Niton XL3T XRF instrument in consumer goods mode this red vinyl “Made in China” vintage measuring tape (pictured here) had the following readings: Lead (Pb): 4,054 +/- 121 ppm Barium (Ba): 823 +/- 82 ppm Bromine (Br): 31 +/- 9 ppm Copper (Cu): 74 +/- 41 ppm Metals not listed were…

Singer Sewing Machines Vintage Pink Vinyl Measuring Tape: 3,783 ppm Lead. [90 ppm Lead is unsafe in kids items.]

May 21, 2019May 21, 2019

3 Comments

When tested with a Niton XL3T XRF instrument in consumer goods mode this measuring tape (pictured here) had the following readings: Lead (Pb): 3,783 +/- 98 ppm Barium (Ba): 435 +/- 63 ppm Bromine (Br): 35 +/- 7 ppm Copper (Cu): 54 +/- 34 ppm Iron (Fe): 126 +/- 68 ppm Metals not listed were…

New (August 2018) Rae Dunn Ceramic “Gulp” Coffee Mug from Marshall’s: 108 +/- 18 ppm Lead (safe by all standards)

April 21, 2019January 24, 2024

3 Comments

To see more examples of Rae Dunn pieces Lead Safe Mama has tested, click here. Read more: Can I test my dishes with a LeadCheck swab? When tested with an XRF instrument, this ceramic “Rae Dunn Artisan Collection by Magenta” brand “Gulp” coffee mug (Made in China) purchased at a Marshall’s in Portland, Oregon for about…

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

1 Comment

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….

Dollar Tree Store (Spring 2019) Mardi Gras Beads: Lead Free, Cadmium Free, Mercury Free & Arsenic Free (and just $1)

April 18, 2019February 21, 2020

Continue reading below each photo of the different color beads to see the full XRF test results for that color bead. I often share that because the Dollar stores (Dollar Tree, Dollar General, etc.) have had so many violations in the past they are actually doing a good job of keeping Lead, Cadmium, Mercury and…

Kitchenaid 2019 Red Silicone & Bamboo Spatula Set: 11 +/- 4 ppm Lead! [Safe by all standards, but…]

April 18, 2019December 1, 2020

8 Comments

In response to testing an older (c. 2010) yellow version of this exact same product (and finding high levels of lead in that product – see it on this link) I decided to follow up and purchase and test a new (2019) version of the product in red. (The yellow appears to no longer be…

Dollar Tree Store (Spring 2019) Garden Transplanter Trowel: Lead-Free (and just $1)

April 18, 2019May 29, 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,…

Spring 2019 Dollar Tree Royal Norfolk Paisley Dinner Plates: 60 ppm Lead + 38 ppm Cadmium (safe by all standards!)

April 12, 2019April 12, 2019

4 Comments

Note: While the XRF readings below indicate that these plates are “safe by all standards”, please do not take this as a recommendation by me to purchase these plates. I only have Lead-free and Cadmium-free dishes in my home and I don’t think there is a place for any level of toxicants in our kitchenware,…

Caveman Cups Heavy Duty “Extreme Use” Stainless Steel Pint Cups: #Safe! Non-detect for Lead, Cadmium, Mercury & Arsenic

April 3, 2019August 6, 2024

8 Comments

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,…

Discovery Kids 2017 DCL “MerchSource” Magnetic Tile Toys: 18 +/- 2 ppm Arsenic (in the metal hollow rivets.)

March 25, 2019December 28, 2021

2 Comments

Originally published: March 25, 2019 Updated: March 18, 2020 Discovery Toys MagnaTile® knockoffs When tested with an XRF instrument, the metal hollow rivets on these MerchSource MagnaTile® knockoffs (by Discovery Toys / DiscoveryKids) are positive for Arsenic. This is consistent with all magnetic tile toys of this nature that I have tested (all of the…

Pfaltzgraff Linea Pattern (Made in China) Clear Glass Bowl: Lead-Free, Cadmium-Free, Arsenic-Free, Mercury-Free!

March 25, 2019May 5, 2023

4 Comments

When tested with an XRF instrument this Pfaltzgraff Linea pattern clear glass bowl had the following readings. Barium (Ba): 2,192 +/- 68 ppm Zinc (Zn): 6,990 +/- 176 ppm Iron (Fe): 187 +/- 87 ppm Vanadium (V): 1,170 +/- 67 ppm Titanium (Ti): 1,187 +/- 81 ppm Platinum (Pt): 148 +/- 50 ppm All of…

White Ceramic Bone China Fine Porcelain Dowan Bowl: 35 ppm Lead + 17 ppm Cadmium (safe by all standards).

March 25, 2019May 19, 2021

12 Comments

This product is marketed online and sold as “Lead Free” on Amazon (below is a screenshot from the Amazon listing for this product taken on 3/25/2019 – 7:50 p.m.): When tested with an XRF instrument this white ceramic bowl had the following readings (with a one-minute test in consumer goods mode): Inside food surface of…

Rae Dunn (by Magenta) Snack/ Treat Serving Dish (Made in China): 647 +/- 37 ppm Lead

February 18, 2019May 17, 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,…

Small Vintage Porcelain Chinese Bowl. Decorated Exterior: 151,100 ppm Lead. That’s more than 15% Lead. 90 ppm Lead is toxic to kids.

February 17, 2019February 17, 2019

7 Comments

Please continue reading below each of the images. I’ve asked for feedback on this (to learn more about it) from my Facebook friends and have come up with the following scenario: It looks like it is a Chinese bowl that was sold several decades ago by Gumps of San Francisco (probably c. 1960 – 1980.) …

Pfaltzgraff Linea Pattern (Made In China) White Ceramic Plate: 218 ppm Lead

February 10, 2019

3 Comments

When tested with an XRF instrument this Pfaltzgraff Linea pattern white ceramic plate had the following readings. On the decorative bands of the “vines”: Lead (Pb): 218 +/- 33 ppm Barium (Ba): 1,650 +/- 139 ppm Zinc (Zn): 10,300 +/- 400 ppm Copper (Cu): 335 +/- 74 ppm Iron (Fe): 1,086 +/- 246 ppm Bismuth…

Dollar Tree Store Royal Norfolk Burgundy Ceramic Plate: 339 ppm Lead + 52 ppm Cadmium

February 10, 2019February 10, 2019

2 Comments

Dollar Tree Store Burgundy / Maroon / Wine Colored Glazed Ceramic Plate, Royal Norfolk. By Greenbrier International, Inc. Made in China. To see more items from dollar tree stores / 99 cent stores that I have tested already, Click HERE. When tested with an XRF instrument this plate had the following readings (on the food surface). [Note: readings on…

Winnie The Pooh (c. 2000) Disney Baby Cup: 26,700 ppm Lead [Over 90 ppm Lead is unsafe for use by kids.]

February 6, 2019February 6, 2019

When tested with an XRF instrument (with each test done for a minimum of 60 seconds) this small ceramic Winnie-the-Pooh baby cup (purchased new c. 2000) had the following readings (metals not listed were not detected.) Outside of Cup: Lead (Pb): 26,700 +/- 700 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 95 +/- 14 ppm Barium (Ba): 298 +/-…

Plastic “Made In China” Batman Cereal Bowl: Lead Free, Cadmium Free, Arsenic Free

January 14, 2019May 27, 2019

When tested with an XRF instrument this bowl had the following reading: (Tested for at least 60 seconds, food surface of dish tested.) Lead (Pb): Non-Detect Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect Cadmium (Cd): Non-Detect Arsenic (As): Non-Detect Metals not listed were also not detected. Barium (Ba): 131 +/- 78 ppm Zinc (Zn): 396 +/- 12 ppm Copper…

Boroux “lead-free” water bottle painted logo positive for: 2,235 ppm Lead, 140 ppm Cadmium, 301 ppm Arsenic.

January 5, 2019March 26, 2021

13 Comments

When tested with an XRF instrument, the painted-on logo on the outside of the Boroux bottles (which are advertised as “Lead-free”) was positive for Lead, Cadmium and Arsenic. To confirm the results, I did three sets of readings, each with different sections of the painted logo within the scope of the XRF (which is about…

2019 Dollar Tree Store Royal Norfolk Orange Glazed Ceramic Bowl: 103 ppm Lead + 210 ppm Cadmium

January 4, 2019January 4, 2019

5 Comments

2019 Dollar Tree Orange Glazed Ceramic Bowl, Royal Norfolk. By Greenbrier International, Inc. Made in China. For exact XRF test results please scroll down. To learn more about XRF testing, Click HERE. Please note: In general, dishes like this cannot be tested with a home test kit like a LeadCheck swab. To better understand why…

2019 Dollar Tree Store Royal Norfolk Black Glazed Ceramic Bowl: 17 ppm Lead (Safe by all standards.)

January 4, 2019January 4, 2019

2 Comments

2019 Dollar Tree Black Glazed Ceramic Bowl, Royal Norfolk. By Greenbrier International, Inc. Made in China. For exact XRF test results please scroll down. To learn more about XRF testing, Click HERE. Please note: In general, dishes like this cannot be tested with a home test kit like a LeadCheck swab. To better understand why that…

Cambridge Design Stainless Steel Fork, Made In China: Lead Free

December 18, 2018June 6, 2019

3 Comments

When tested with an XRF instrument this stainless steel “Cambridge” fork had the following readings. [All tests are done for at least 60 seconds.] Note: If a metal was not detected it is not listed. Chromium (Cr): 135,200 +/- 1,000 ppm Nickel (Ni): 1,209 +/- 385 ppm Iron (Fe): 857,500 +/- 2,100 ppm Vanadium (V):…