#AskTamara: Do “Mermaid” Reversible Sequin Things Have Unsafe Levels of Lead?
#AskTamara Question: Do “mermaid” reversible sequin things have unsafe levels of Lead? Answer: Please read my full response below to see the XRF test results for one example of this type of item. My young son is currently invested in pink, purple and sparkles; anything that is pink or purple and/or or sparkly is very exciting…
#AskTamara: Does my scary zombie Halloween mask have unsafe levels of Lead?
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…
#AskTamara: Do modern Halloween masks have Lead? Does my Halloween gorilla mask have any toxic chemicals?
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…
An Interesting Article About Vintage / Historic Fiestaware Toxicity
From the article linked below (Source ORAU.org): “The accompanying photo shows two pieces of Fiestaware produced by the Homer Laughlin Company of West Virginia: a Fiesta red saucer and an ivory bowl. In each case, uranium was used to provide the color of the glaze. Although the radioactivity of both is easily detectable, that of…
Click to read the full XRF test results for Stockmar beeswax crayons (testing for Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, etc.)
#AskTamara Question: Do Stockmar beeswax crayons have lead (Pb)? Answer: Below is a full summary of the specific XRF Test Results for a newly purchased set of Stockmar Wachsmalblöcke Wax Block Beeswax Crayons (purchased in August of 2018 off of Amazon.com) This is new-in-box product. If you are in a rush to see the results, please…
#LeadSafeMama Social Media Stats Update: September 1, 2018
Ok! Last one for today! For those who get all my posts via e-mail, thanks for bearing with me today. Every now and then I like to publish all of these numbers to help keep me focused on why I am doing this, the number of people that are getting this message and how far…
#LeadSafeMama August 2018 Financial Update
Hi Friends! Here’s a summary of income I have received in support of my advocacy work over the past month (for all of August 2018). I am so incredibly thankful for all of the support in all the ways. Even though I am not affiliated with a nonprofit I think this work is fundamentally a…
September 2018, #FlashSale
September 2018 #FlashSale! ***** Final #FlashSale of 2018 ***** ******* This “Flash Sale” ends Monday (9/3) at midnight PST! – Usually folks contribute $150 towards my work (helping to cover the cost of XRF rental and other costs related to testing consumer goods and reporting the results) and in exchange they can send in a…
Year-To-Date Unique Page Views: September 1, 2018
906,455 unique page views here since January 1, 2017! Thank you everyone! – Tamara & Team
Thank you for visiting my website in August of 2018! #LeadSafeMama #Stats
Also fun fact to note from the above graphic… As of today my site has reached 962,870 page views (since I started blogging via TamaraRubin.com), with an average of 50,446 views a month over the past year and just 37,130 page-views to go to reach 1,000,000 page views! This means that in September 2018 this…
Question: Do Crayola Crayons have Lead? Answer: Yes they do, at levels considered safe for toys but unsafe for food.
Originally Published: August 28, 2018 Please note: This issue is not isolated to any specific year of crayons manufactured by Crayola nor is the issue (of heavy metal contamination) isolated to any specific type of Crayola crayons. Similar results have been found across all recent years of manufacture tested and across all types of Crayola’s crayon products. What did you find when you tested Crayola crayons for lead…
Here’s what one might expect a modern clearance test to look like in 2018
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…
Portland Public Schools is simply NOT using the strictest standards nor best practices to protect your children from lead in schools: A series — Part 1: Post Lead-remediation construction dust found at Lewis Elementary School
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,…
I asked for help with my disabled children and the special education program administrator called me “Crazy”.
Alternate Title: What does the Portland Public Schools special education administrative staff really think of parents of children who need their help? – Written: Wednesday, August 22, 2018. [You might want to sit down with a cup of coffee to read this one!] – Yesterday we rented a car for a week. We don’t usually…
Newly Purchased August 2018 Rae Dunn Ceramic Coffee Mugs from Marshall’s
These ceramic Rae Dunn brand coffee mugs (Made in China) were purchased at a Marshall’s in Portland, Oregon for about $5 each in August 2018. Each has a slightly different finish, so one would expect them to each test slightly different in terms of an levels of lead found when texted with an XRF instrument….
#Leaded: 1990s Glass Seed Bead Wolf Necklace
1990s Glass Seed Bead Wolf Necklace. Seed beads like this commonly test positive for lead and cadmium and sometimes even mercury and arsenic. I personally avoid pieces like this in my home, but I must admit they are very beautiful! While it is very difficult to separate out the different beads on a piece like…
#Leaded: 1978 Ceramic Parrot Hair Clip (Cadmium too!), from Florida
This little ceramic parrot hair clip tested positive for both high levels of lead and cadmium (high compared to current standards for allowable levels of toxicants in items intended for children.) While the owner told me she got this in 1978 in Florida, I also want to say that I am 48 years old and…
#LeadFree: Sleepy Hollow New York Commemorative Fridge Magnet
Sleepy Hollow New York Commemorative Fridge Magnet Made primarily of Zinc. This item had the following readings when tested with an XRF instrument: Lead (Pb): Non-Detect/ND – Negative* Cadmium (Cd): Non-Detect/ND – Negative* Arsenic (As): Non-Detect/ND – Negative* Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect/ND – Negative* Chromium ( Cr): 522 +/- 146 ppm Zinc (Zn): 985,100 +/- 12,000 ppm Cooper (Cu):…
#LeadFree: 1978 Copy of “Holly Hobbie’s Answer Book” Paperback
1978 Copy of “Holly Hobbie’s Answer Book” Paperback Child’s Book Note: The XRF instrument tests down to single-digit ppm accuracy. Items intended for use by children are considered toxic and unsafe for children at 90 ppm lead or higher in the paint or coating or 100 ppm paint or coating in the substrate. A “negative”…
#Leaded; 1985 Princess of Power A Most Unpleasant Present Mini Comic Book
Tested with an XRF instrument this 1985 “Princess of Power A Most Unpleasant Present” Mini Comic Book was positive for the following elements at the following levels: Cover Lead (Pb): 105 +/- 18 ppm Chromium (Cr): 158 +/- 83 ppm Zinc (Zn): 66 +/- 19 ppm Copper (Cu): 105 +/- 35 ppm Nickel (Ni): 151…
#LeadSafe: 1985 Time Life The Enchanted World Water Spirits Hardcover Book
1985 Time Life The Enchanted World Water Spirits Hardcover Book, all components of the book tested with an XRF. See full XRF readings below. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in a modern item made and intended for use by children is 90 ppm or higher in the paint or coating. All of…
#LeadFree: Decorative Christmas Tin (no Mark or Maker)
The Christmas tin picture here was negative for Lead when tested with an XRF instrument. Note: The XRF instrument tests down to single-digit ppm accuracy. Items intended for use by children are considered toxic and unsafe for children at 90 ppm Lead or higher in the paint or coating, and at 100 ppm paint…
#AskTamara: I’m concerned that contractors at my Portland, Oregon elementary school are not using lead safe work practices. What should I do?
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, LLC…
#AskTamara: Do Glass Dragon Tears Have Lead? (Aka: Squashed Marbles, Glass Drops or Mancala Stones?)
#AskTamara Question: Do dragon tears have lead? Answer: Some do and some do not. Given the nature of the way most colored glass is commonly produced, many dragon tears do have at least some lead, and some have quite high amounts of lead — at levels considered dangerous for children by current/modern regulatory standards. [Even…