Is your Barbie safe for your kids to play with? A discussion on the concern for unsafe levels of Lead (& other toxicants) in vintage Barbie dolls
XRF test results for a vintage Fisher Price brand plastic toy lion from the circus train set (made in Hong Kong): positive for Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic and Antimony
Little Tikes brand vintage plastic toy phone positive for extremely high levels of Cadmium (a known carcinogen)
Vintage plastic toy thermometer positive for both Arsenic and high levels of Lead. *This toy is not safe for children to play with*
XRF test results for vintage (1970s?) Fisher Price “Movie Viewer” toy: 5,087 ppm Lead, 249 ppm Arsenic & 55 ppm Cadmium.
XRF test results for vintage (1970s?) Fisher Price stacker toy… with ALL the bite marks! 4,289 ppm Lead, 517 ppm Arsenic & 18 ppm Cadmium
Please DO NOT give toys from YOUR CHILDHOOD to your baby to play with. This 1984 Mattel baby rattle / teether tests positive for LEAD, ARSENIC and CADMIUM.
1997 Made in Mexico Vintage Fisher Price Stacking Car Toy with Animals: non-detect for Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Arsenic and Antimony.
Vatming Toy Car (Made in Hong Kong): 154 ppm Lead + 56 Cadmium + 16,300 ppm GOLD + 3,401 ppm Platinum.
Red Antique Tootsie Toy Trailer Car (Made in Chicago): 94 ppm Lead + 73 Cadmium + 7,862 ppm GOLD! (Woah!)
Blue Antique Tootsie Toy Trailer Car (Made in Chicago): 77 ppm Lead + 107 Cadmium + 5,246 ppm GOLD! (Woah!)
Vintage Tonka metal dune buggy style toy car with yellow body paint. The Lead is in the TIRES! 14,300 ppm! (90 & up is unsafe for kids)
Vintage plastic Tupperware blocks toy: non-detect for Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury (likely has BPA given the age.)
How old are your child’s toys? Mega Bloks Large Yellow Building Block (c. 1990-2007?): 5,402 ppm Lead (90 is unsafe for kids) + 88 ppm Mercury
This is a summary with links to all our articles on testing vintage toys! (Including FisherPrice, Legos, Hot Wheels & more!)
1977 Walt Disney Winnie The Pooh & Tigger Too – read along book: 17 ppm Lead (safe by all standards.)
1977 Walt Disney Winnie The Pooh & Tigger Too – read along tape: 495 ppm Lead (90 is unsafe), 35 ppm Arsenic.
Blue vintage (1990s?) Duplo building block – by Lego: Lead-free, Cadmium-free, Arsenic-free, Mercury-free!
Vintage (1990s?) AAA rubber toy blue whale (made in China): Lead-free, Antimony-free, Cadmium-free, Arsenic-free & Mercury-free!
Vintage (?) “Made In China” Parasaurolophus Plastic Dinosaur: 1,333 ppm Lead (90 is unsafe for kids) + 88 ppm Cadmium
1986 Dor Mei Toys Spinosaurus: 5,341 ppm Lead. 90 ppm and up is considered illegal and unsafe for toys made today.
Another reason to avoid vintage toys – 1985 Imperial Toys T-Rex: 7,872 ppm Lead. This would be illegal if made today.
