Vintage Tin

Vintage Red Plaid Thermos Brand Lunchbox: 58,400 ppm Lead + 6 ppm Mercury (90 ppm Lead is unsafe for kids)

Vintage Red Plaid Thermos Brand Lunchbox: 58,400 ppm Lead + 6 ppm Mercury (90 ppm Lead is unsafe for kids)

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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…

Vintage Tin, McCormick’s Bee Brand Absolutely Pure Cream Tartar: 10,300 ppm Lead on the painted exterior

Vintage Tin, McCormick’s Bee Brand Absolutely Pure Cream Tartar: 10,300 ppm Lead on the painted exterior

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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,…

1939 Physician’s Sample Tin of Baby Formula: 456,200 ppm Lead. Frankly the implications of this one are terrifying.

1939 Physician’s Sample Tin of Baby Formula: 456,200 ppm Lead. Frankly the implications of this one are terrifying.

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  When tested with an XRF instrument this vintage tin of “Mead Johnson & Co” baby formula supplement (a “Physician’s Sample”  – “Not to be sold”) had the following readings (on the the sealing line of the tin when tested for a minimum of 60 seconds). Lead (Pb): 456,200 +/- 3,400 ppm Chromium (Cr): 660…

Vintage Tin, UCA Salve: 9,692 ppm Lead + 231 ppm Mercury — Don’t let your kids play with vintage tins

Vintage Tin, UCA Salve: 9,692 ppm Lead + 231 ppm Mercury — Don’t let your kids play with vintage tins

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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 Tin, Cuticura Ointment: 24,000 ppm Lead + 209 ppm Cadmium. Don’t let your kids play with vintage tins.

Vintage Tin, Cuticura Ointment: 24,000 ppm Lead + 209 ppm Cadmium. Don’t let your kids play with vintage tins.

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When tested with an XRF instrument this vintage tin of “Cuticura Ointment” had the following readings (on the painted logo surface, when tested for a minimum of 60 seconds). Lead (Pb): 24,000 +/- 600 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 209 +/- 52 ppm Chromium (Cr): 4,818 +/- 198 ppm Tin (Sn): 6.932 +/- 213 ppm Iron (Fe):…

Vintage Tin, Sample Man-Zan Cream for Rectal Discomfort: 1,805 ppm Lead + 975 ppm Mercury [! Speaks for itself.]

Vintage Tin, Sample Man-Zan Cream for Rectal Discomfort: 1,805 ppm Lead + 975 ppm Mercury [! Speaks for itself.]

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When tested with an XRF instrument this tiny vintage tin of “Man-Zan” cream (“for rectal discomfort”) had the following readings (on the painted logo surface, when tested for a minimum of 60 seconds). Lead (Pb): 1,805 +/- 160 ppm Mercury (Hg): 975 +/- 197 ppm Chromium (Cr): 602 +/- 122 ppm Tin (Sn): 37,900 +/-…

Oh the irony! Vintage metal Band-Aid tin, painted in Lead Paint! 2,193 +/- 147 ppm Lead! [90 ppm is unsafe for kids.]

Oh the irony! Vintage metal Band-Aid tin, painted in Lead Paint! 2,193 +/- 147 ppm Lead! [90 ppm is unsafe for kids.]

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When tested with an XRF instrument this vintage Band-Aid box had the following readings: Lead (Pb): 2,193 +/- 147 ppm Chromium (Cr): 1,022 +/- 126 ppm Zinc (Zn): 2,897 +/- 267 ppm Copper (Cu): 433 +/- 172 ppm Iron (Fe): 851,800 +/- 1,800 ppm Titanium (Ti): 128,600 +/- 1,200 ppm Cobalt (Co): 8,264 +/- 1,305…

XRF Test Results For Vintage WWII Era Coffee, Tea & Biscuit Tins.

XRF Test Results For Vintage WWII Era Coffee, Tea & Biscuit Tins.

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When testing the World War II era food storage tins (using XRF technology) I found that they were painted with high lead paint. Please take a close look at the photo (below) and see how much of the paint has worn off of these canisters over the years. To learn more about XRF testing, click…

#Cadmium: Small Toy Copper Coffee Pot

#Cadmium: Small Toy Copper Coffee Pot

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This little antique/ vintage toy coffee pot is 999,700 ppm copper on the outside (basically a pure copper exterior), but the inside (which would touch an beverage poured into it by a child is positive for cadmium when tested with an XRF instrument: Cadmium reading: 1,248 +/- 154 ppm. Read more about cadmium toxicity here….

Antique “An-Du-Septic” Dustless Crayon Artista Water Colors Tin: 73,800 ppm Lead

Antique “An-Du-Septic” Dustless Crayon Artista Water Colors Tin: 73,800 ppm Lead

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Many vintage tins are positive for Lead and other toxicants (for example: Mercury, Cadmium and Arsenic) and I would be very wary about using vintage tins for your holiday cookie exchanges (among other food-use purposes!) New Lead-free tins can be purchased at Dollar Tree stores (or similar) and are much safer for food use applications….