XRF Testing

Newer Fiestaware Purple Bowl: 67 ppm Cadmium [but Lead-free]

January 3, 2017December 26, 2018

Whent tested with an XRF instrument this newer Fiestaware purple bowl had the following readings: Lead (Pb): Non-Detect / Negative Arsenic (As): Non-Detect / Negative Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect / Negative Cadmium (Cd): 67 ppm The level of Cadmium found in this bowl is considered a “trace” level (likely a contaminant of the colorant for the…

#AskTamara: Does Vintage Fiestaware Have Lead? Does New Fiestaware Have Lead?

January 3, 2017September 3, 2018

15 Comments

#AskTamara Questions: Does Vintage Fiestaware Have Lead? Does New Fiestaware Have Lead? Answers: Definitely yes & sometimes yes! Below is a vintage teal colored Fiestaware custard cup. When tested with an XRF instrument it was positive for lead (Pb) at 73,500 ppm (seventy three thousand five hundred parts per million.) The only relevant modern standard that…

#LeadFreeDishes: Newer Fiestaware Mug and Saucer

January 3, 2017January 28, 2018

9 Comments

Newer Fiestaware Coffee Cup & Saucers: NO LEAD. However positive for approximately 130 ppm Cadmium. Cadmium is most often found in ceramics that are painted with reds, yellows or oranges, or other colors that may have those colors as part of the formula. • • • Please read about my concerns for cadmium here. Tested…

Modern White Fiestaware Tea Cup: 40 ppm Lead when tested with an XRF instrument (safe by all standards).

January 3, 2017March 26, 2021

1 Comment

When this newer modern white Fiestaware tea cup (purchased c. October 2014) was tested with an XRF instrument it had the following reading: Lead (Pb): 40 +/- 14 ppm The amount of lead considered unsafe in items intended for children is 90 ppm lead or higher in the paint or coating or 100 ppm or higher…

Newer (c. 2012?) Fiestaware Pitchers: 240 ppm Cadmium (in the orange) + 52 ppm Lead (in the yellow).

January 3, 2017January 31, 2020

Fiestaware pitchers (newer): Yellow pitcher: 52 ppm Lead. Newer orange pitcher: 240 ppm Cadmium (no lead.) • • • Almost lead-free / but not quite! The company probably did leach testing and it did not leach any lead. Please read about my concerns for cadmium here. Tested with an XRF The amount of lead considered…

#LeadSafeDishes; Target Home White Plate

January 3, 2017January 3, 2017

2 Comments

Target Home White Ceramic Plate – 74 ppm lead (within “safe” range.) Tested with an XRF The amount of lead considered unsafe in items intended for children is 90 ppm lead or higher. (So this plate WOULD be considered lead-safe by all available standards, even though technically there is not a a standard for total…

#LeadedDishes: Vintage Metal Toy Plate

January 3, 2017

Vintage toy metal plate with owl: 465 ppm lead • 343 ppm arsenic Tested with an XRF The amount of lead considered unsafe in items manufactured today as intended for children is 90 ppm lead or higher. (so this would NOT be considered lead-safe.) Dishes are not sold as “intended for children” so total lead…

1970s Yellow Plastic “Ingrid” – Made In Chicago Dishes: 4,002 ppm Lead + 1,025 ppm Arsenic

January 3, 2017April 4, 2019

6 Comments

Vintage – made in Chicago by “Ingrid” • 1970s plastic cup and plate. When tested with an XRF instrument this set had the following readings: Yellow Plastic Plate: Lead (Pb): 4,002 ppm Arsenic (As): 1,025 ppm Yellow Plastic Cup: Lead (Pb): 3,235 ppm Arsenic (As): 848 ppm The amount of lead considered unsafe in items manufactured…

#LeadFree: White Crate & Barrel Dishes

January 3, 2017April 10, 2018

28 Comments

Newer Crate & Barrel plate : Negative (non-detect) for lead and arsenic. Tested with an XRF instrument #XRFTesting Please note: not all Crate & Barrel dishware is negative for lead (when tested with an XRF.) The owner of this particular dish told me that it was purchased “recently” as of January 2016. Also please note…

Vintage Arcoroc Glass Plate: 256 ppm Lead. For context: 90 ppm is unsafe in items intended for use by children.

January 3, 2017September 22, 2019

25 Comments

Vintage Arcoroc Clear Glass Plate (year unknown), Made in France. When tested with an XRF instrument the dish pictured here was positive at the following level: 256 ppm Lead. This is common with vintage clear glass (and especially vintage clear glass that was made in France.) Most new clear glass will be Lead-free or at least…

#LeadFreeDishes: Ikea (blue)

January 3, 2017

2 Comments

Ikea Blue Ceramic Plate: No lead! (non-detect for lead with an XRF) (No Cadmium, Arsenic, Mercury, or Chromium either!) Tested with an XRF instrument #XRFTesting #LeadedDishes For more lead-safe dishware options, click here.

#LeadSafeDishes: Red & White Plate

January 3, 2017January 3, 2017

Red & White Ceramic Plate: 83 ppm lead (on white) • 331 ppm Cadmium (on red) —- Tested with an XRF The amount of lead considered unsafe in items intended for children is 90 ppm lead or higher. (so this would be considered lead-safe.) Dishes are not sold as “intended for children” so total lead…

Door Handles / Door Knobs – Newish, c. 2015: 28,200 ppm Lead (on a home in Maine).

January 3, 2017January 20, 2019

5 Comments

When tested with an XRF instrument these “Iron”* door pulls had the following readings: Curved handle: 9,500 ppm Lead Thumb latch (worn): 11,100 ppm Lead Flat back plate: 28,200 ppm Lead. *Please note, these are not actually Iron, they are in fact leaded brass finished to look like iron with a “rubbed bronze”…

Vintage (c. 1957-1966) Pyrex Cinderella Mixing Bowl in Black & White “Gooseberry” Pattern: 35,500 ppm Lead. [90 is unsafe]

December 30, 2016June 2, 2019

5 Comments

Small vintage “Gooseberry” pattern Pyrex Cinderella style mixing bowl- white glass with black paint. When tested with an XRF instrument this bowl had the following readings: Black painted pattern: 35,500 parts per million (ppm) Lead. Unpainted white milk glass: 183 ppm Lead. Read more about lead-in-Pyrex here. Thank you for reading and for sharing my…

Vintage Pyrex Teacup & Saucer with Pink Stripe & Gold Edge: 79,800 ppm Lead (90 is unsafe) + Cadmium

December 30, 2016January 8, 2024

2 Comments

Made in USA: Pyrex cup & saucer: 79,800 ppm Lead (Pb) & 1,962 ppm Cadmium (Cd) Most ceramics or glass items that are tinted pink or red have some level of cadmium in them. This is especially true for vintage or antique items. To learn more about the concern for Cadmium (Cd) toxicity, click HERE. #XRFTesting •…

How worn is your vintage Pyrex? Even with very worn paint, this piece is still positive for a high level of Lead (Pb) at 23,000 ppm.

December 30, 2016January 5, 2024

Above is a reddish orange vintage Pyrex refrigerator dish with most of the paint worn off. When tested with an XRF instrument, this piece had the following reading for Lead: Lead (Pb): 23,000 ppm. This is a great example of how the colors on these pieces wear. The question is… where does that Leaded color…

“Orange Fiesta” pattern vintage Pyrex casserole dish with lid, 1971: 55,000 ppm Lead in the paint (90 ppm is unsafe for kids)

December 30, 2016January 2, 2024

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Above is the Vintage Pyrex “Orange Fiesta” pattern casserole with fruit images on lid from 1971. When tested with an XRF instrument, this vintage cookware piece had the following readings: Solid orange of base: 55,000 ppm Lead It also tested positive for: 3,783 ppm Cadmium, 83 ppm Barium, 79 ppm Chromium, 47 ppm Bromine, And,…

Red vintage Pyrex refrigerator dish: 53,900 ppm Lead. [90 ppm Lead is unsafe for kids.]

December 30, 2016July 25, 2020

1 Comment

Small vintage / antique red Pyrex dish • 53,900 ppm lead The current federal hazard level for an item intended for children [The level at which an item is considered unsafe] is 90 ppm lead and higher. Not 900. Not 9,000. Definitely not 53,900. Given the amount of wear on the coating on vintage dishware…

Vintage Green Pyrex Mixing Bowl: 36,599 ppm lead [Context: 90 ppm Lead is considered unsafe for kids in newly made items.]

December 30, 2016March 11, 2019

7 Comments

Vintage Olive Green Pyrex Mixing Bowl. When tested with an XRF instrument the exterior paint on the mixing bowl pictured here was positive for the following elemental heavy metals at the following levels: Lead (Pb): 36,599 ppm Arsenic (As): 12,910 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 615 ppm For Context: The current toxicity level for lead in newly…

Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup (c. 2004): Positive for 31,300 ppm Lead in the Red Exterior Writing. 90 ppm is unsafe.

December 30, 2016March 28, 2024

3 Comments

Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup. Purchased new circa 2004. When tested with an XRF instrument the exterior red writing on this measuring cup was positive for Lead (Pb) at the following level: 31,300 ppm For context: the amount of Lead (Pb) that is considered toxic in an item intended to be used by children is anything 90 ppm…

Vintage Blue Pyrex Casserole: Positive For 108,400 ppm Lead [90 ppm is unsafe for kids] (& Arsenic Too!)

December 30, 2016January 4, 2020

2 Comments

Vintage Blue Pyrex Casserole. Below are the XRF test results for this piece: Top blue (on lid): Lead (Pb): 108,400 ppm Arsenic (As): 27,100 ppm Base blue: Lead (Pb): 84,000 ppm Arsenic (As): 23,800 ppm Plane white milk glass of base: Lead (Pb): 74 ppm Arsenic (As): 3,045 ppm Please share and browse the photo…

Vintage Pyrex Casserole, “Shenandoah” Pattern c. 1981-1986: Yellow Exterior – 212,000 ppm Lead. 90 ppm is unsafe for kids.

December 30, 2016September 2, 2019

Pyrex Vintage Shenandoah Pattern Casserole, c. 1981-1986: White glass: 395 ppm lead Yellow exterior paint: 212,000 ppm lead To learn more about XRF Testing & the potential implications of lead in cookware click HERE and HERE. Read more about lead-in-Pyrex here. For some unleaded mixing bowl options, click here! & unleaded dishes, click here! As…

Large Orange Vintage Pyrex Mixing Bowl: 61,000 ppm Lead — 90 ppm is illegal in new items made for use by kids

December 30, 2016January 8, 2024

7 Comments

For those new to this 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 sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used…

Leaded Dishes: Franciscan Ivy

December 27, 2016

83,900 ppm lead – Franciscan Ivy Tray Vintage Dishes #XRFTesting #LeadedDishware Items intended for children are required by current legislation to be under 90 ppm lead. Dishes (especially vintage dishes!) are not regulated for total lead content (via XRF reading.) Click here to see some lead-free dishware options!