#LeadSafeChristmas: Small Glittered Plastic Balls
#Christmas2017 #LeadSafeChristmas – Plastic small ball ornaments. From Michael’s ND for As, Pb, Cd & Hg in the ball. Top: 89 ppm Pb. Here’s a lead-free Christmas decoration option on Amazon.* Thanks to Jennifer Curtis for donating and supporting my advocacy! Each donation helps make a new post possible! For #SaferChoices for your family, click…
#Leaded: Bathroom Floor Tiles c. 1979
13,000 ppm lead – 1979 tile! [Original tile floors in a 1979 house.] The amount of lead that is considered unsafe (and illegal) in a modern/newly manufactured item intended for children, is anything 90 ppm lead and higher. Floor tiles – while likely used and interacted with by children every day (especially crawling babies!) –…
Newly installed 2014 Kitchen Counter Tile: 368,400 ppm Lead. 90 ppm Lead (& up) is unsafe in items made for children to use.
Newly installed kitchen counter tile: 368,400 ppm lead. Tested in 2014. Portland, Oregon. Tile is not regulated for total lead content (as detectable with an XRF.) This is kitchen tile, that your food sits on every.single.day. My solution is to always use cutting boards and never put utensils or food directly on tiled kitchen counters….
#Leaded: Modern (2015) Floor Tiles
New (2015) 12 inch floor tile: 2,429 ppm lead & 1481 ppm arsenic. *** Even in 2017 floor tiles are not regulated*** The amount of lead that is considered unsafe (and illegal) in an item intended for children, is anything 90 ppm lead and higher. Floor tiles – while likely used and interacted with by children every…
Red & Yellow Brio Train, Made in Sweden: 1,862 ppm Lead & 575 ppm Arsenic
Brio train, “Made in Sweden” age unknown. Tested with an XRF in 2015. Lead (Pb): 1,862 ppm Arsenic (As): 575 ppm To learn more about XRF testing, Click HERE. The amount of Lead that is considered unsafe in a newly manufactured item intended for children in 90 ppm Lead (or higher) in the paint or…
#LeadSafe: “Newer” Made In Sweden Brio Train
Brio trains – “Made in Sweden“. Exact year of manufacture unknown, tested in 2015. Yellow = non-detect for lead. Red = 10 ppm lead. Tested with an XRF instrument. Thanks to Peggy Oehl for donating and supporting my advocacy! Each donation helps make a new post possible! For #SaferChoices for your family, click here. If…
y. 2000 Starbucks Coffee “City Mug” Collector Series: 3,157 ppm Lead (>90 is unsafe for kids) + 496 ppm Arsenic too!
Starbucks City Mug from the year 2,000. Made in Thailand. “City Mug” 3,157 ppm lead & 496 ppm Arsenic. To see a detailed summary of my concerns with Starbucks mugs, Click HERE. For #SaferChoices for your family, click here. If you would like to support my advocacy work (and this website) please consider making a contribution via…
#Leaded: Vintage Ziggy Mug
Ziggy Mug: 33,800 ppm lead Tested July 2014. Thanks to Tania Moxon for donating and supporting my advocacy! For #SaferChoices for your family, click here. If you would like to support my advocacy work (and this website) please consider making a contribution via GoFundMe or PayPal. Thank you!
Portmeirion coffee mug with heart pattern design: 49,000 ppm Lead. For context, 90 ppm is unsafe for kids.
Portmeirion – mug “microwave safe” – 49,000 ppm lead! For #SaferChoices for your family, click here. If you would like to support my advocacy work (and this website) please consider making a contribution via GoFundMe or PayPal. Thank you!
#Leaded: Vintage “You Are The Sunshine” Ceramic Mug
“You Are The Sunshine” Coffee Mug. 3,151 ppm lead, 571 ppm cadmium, & 948 ppm arsenic. (white unglazed ceramic: 20 ppm lead) Tested with an XRF instrument December 2015. Thanks to Kelly Paluso for donating and supporting my advocacy! For #SaferChoices for your family, click here. If you would like to support my advocacy work…
Vintage Corelle Livingware Spring Blossom Green Crazy Daisy Mug: 31,700 ppm Lead [90 is unsafe for kids]
Corelle Livingware – by Corning – Made In the U.S.A. Mug. Crazy Daisy, Spring Blossom Green Pattern. Year of manufacture unknown. Tested in 2014. This cup tested positive for 31,700 ppm Lead (Pb) when tested with an XRF instrument. To learn more about XRF testing, Click HERE. Related: Tamara, why is this a problem? Is this…
Plastic small red Christmas ornaments
#Christmas2017 #LeadFreeChristmas, but #Arsenic! – Plastic small red ornaments. From Fred Meyer’s. ND for Pb, Cd & Hg. As high as 129 ppm As (Arsenic.) #NotAChildsToy. Thanks to Jo Sampson for donating and supporting my advocacy! For #SaferChoices for your family, click here. If you would like to support my advocacy work (and this website)…
#LowLead: New (2017) Waterford China Set
2017 New-In-Box, Waterford China set. Tested with an XRF instrument. All Components tested (and all were in the same range for lead and negative for Hg, As & Cd.). The silver rim part was also tested and the readings were the same as they were on other elements of the dishes. Saucer: 219+/- 30 ppm….
#LeadFree: 1 Cup Round Oxo Food Storage
One-cup clear glass OXO brand food storage container with plastic lid (with inner silicone green rim/ band). Tested with an XRF instrument. Non-Detect (negative) for: lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd.) All components tested. This is a terrific #SaferChoice for your home. To see this exact product on Amazon*, click here! Thanks…
#LeadFree (but #Cadmium): Silicone Baking Cups
Silicone Muffin Cups: Lead Free Tested in 2017. Thank you to Sally Taber for donating and supporting my advocacy work! I DO NOT recommend that you buy this product, but here’s the link so you can read the specs on Amazon*. Cadmium levels were as follows: Pink: 227 ppm Orange: 227 ppm Yellow: 166 ppm…
#Leaded: Vintage Silver Bordered Plate
Vintage plate with “silver” border (goes with mug posted previously) it turns out the “silver” is achieved by using leaded glaze! Plate is 1,222 ppm lead, “silver” border is 74,200 ppm lead. Tested with an XRF instrument in 2014. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children is anything…
Silver Bordered Vintage China Mug / Tea Cup: 104,700 ppm Lead [90 ppm Lead is unsafe for kids.]
Mug with “silver” border (where your lips would go!) It turns out the “silver” is achieved by using Leaded glaze! Inside of cup is 845 ppm lead, “silver” border is 104,700 ppm Lead. Tested with an XRF instrument in 2014. I apologize that I did not capture information about the maker or pattern on this…
#LeadSafe: Baum Pyramid Pattern Ceramic Mug
Ceramic Baum “Pyramid” design mug: 26 +/- 15 ppm lead. The interior was negative/ “non-detect” for lead (Pb). Both the interior and exterior were also non-detect for cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg.) Tested with an XRF instrument. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item for children is anything 90 ppm…
#LeadFree: 6 oz clear glass Ball brand mason jar
Small 6oz Ball brand clear glass canning jar, lid and band. Newly purchased in 2017. Tested with an XRF instrument. “Non-Detect” (negative) for lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd.) We use Ball brand canning jars (of all sizes) every day in our home. While the lids are free of the toxicants listed…
#LeadFree: SMI Stainless Spoon / Flatware
Stainless Steel Spoon, marked “SMI”on the back: Non-detect/negative for Lead (Pb). Also non-detect for mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As.) Tested with an XRF instrument. The SMI mark appears to be that of Liberty Tabletop products a division of Sherrill MFG. Inc. “America’s Flatware Company.” These are Made in the USA and seem to…
This “Go Green” organic face paint is a nice Lead-free option for the kiddos. What brand do you use?
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…
Aside from *getting arrested, November was one of my best months ever!
November was a great month for TamaraRubin.com! 70,501 unique views… my second best month ever (second only to June 2017 with the #WallMartJellyShoes and #FidgetSpinner chaos, with 71,904 unique views!) The tremendous impact this past month was in large part the result of the CBS Morning News national coverage of my advocacy work, as well…
#LeadFree: Blue Stethoscope
This stethoscope was negative for Mercury (Hg), Lead (Pb), Arsenic (As) and Cadmium (Cd) when tested with an XRF instrument. This appears to be an older model (or perhaps a toy?) There is no brand or maker’s mark. All components were tested. I am hoping to be able to test more modern stethoscopes in the…
#Cadmium: Older/Vintage Black Tycos Stethoscope
Vintage Tycos Stethoscope. Tested with an XRF instrument. Year of manufacture is unknown. Tested negative for Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg) and Arsenic (As), but positive for Cadmium (Cd) at 150 +/- 13 ppm on the rubber tubing component. All components tested. Read more about cadmium toxicity here. Thanks to Marya Shahriary for donating and…