c. 2014 Littman Nurses’ Stethoscope: 1,828 ppm Lead in the tubing. Why is medical equipment positivie for ANY amount of Lead?

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3M Littman Brand Nurse’s stethoscope with red tubing: 1,828 ppm lead (What!!!!?) in the red tubing. New item owned by a professional nurse, tested in 2014. In my personal opinion medical equipment should not test positive for any Lead at all! The amount of Lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for use…

#Leaded: Vintage Turquoise Butterprint Pyrex Dish

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Vintage Pyrex Turquoise Butterprint Dish: 30,600 ppm lead. c. 1957-1968. The amount of lead that is considered unsafe for a modern / newly manufactured item intended for children is 90 parts per million (ppm) and higher. Vintage dishware is not regulated at all for total lead content. Thanks to Michael Tiffany for donating and supporting…
Starkey Spring Water 2 Miles Deep

#LeadFree: Glass Starkey Brand Spring Water Bottle

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Clear glass spring water bottle, Starkey brand. Tested with an XRF instrument. Non-detect for Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Arsenic (As) and Cadmium (Cd.) Thanks to Derek Robinson for donating and supporting this post! For more #SaferChoices for your family, click here. To make a contribution in support of my independent consumer goods testing and lead…

NuSpin Zoomie Straw Cup (sippy cup): Non-Detect for Lead, Mercury & Arsenic. Trace Cadmium in the straw.

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When tested with an XRF instrument, this NuSpin Zoomie Straw Cup, purchased new in 2017 had the following readings: Main plastic body of cup (including “painted” decorative elements): Lead (Pb): Non-detect (ND) / Negative Cadmium (Cd): Non-detect (ND) / Negative Mercury (Hg): Non-detect (ND) / Negative Arsenic (As): Non-detect (ND) / Negative Clear flexible silicone sippy straw: Lead (Pb): Non-detect…

#LeadFree: Decorated Metal Chopsticks

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Decorated (painted) metal chopsticks. Year unknown. Tested with an XRF instrument. Non-detect for Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Arsenic (As) and Cadmium (Cd.) It did not come up with an automatic stainless steel reading (meaning it is not a common stainless steel formulation), so to note… it also had 148,800 ppm Chromium (Cr), 9,052 ppm Nickel…

#LeadFree: Green Sprouts “Swim Friends” Foam Bath Toy

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Frog from the “Swim Friends” set of foam bath toys by Green Sprouts. Purchased in 2017. This item was negative (“non-detect”) for Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Arsenic (As), and Mercury (Hg.). This testing was done with an XRF instrument. Multiple tests of the object were done with the same results.. Here’s a link to this…

#LeadFree: Silicone Kiddiebites Baby Plate

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Silicone Kiddiebites brand baby plate purchased in 2017. Made in USA. Tested with an XRF instrument. Non-detect for lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg) and Arsenic (As), but positive for trace Cadmium (Cd) at 20 +/- 7 parts per million (ppm.) Read more about cadmium concerns here. Quite a few silicone baby items that have been tested…

#AskTamara: Are New Fisher Price Mega Bloks Lead Free?

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Below are the XRF test results for the new (2017) Fisher Price Mega Bloks pictured here. Lead (Pb): Negative / Non-Detect Mercury (Hg): Negative / Non-Detect Arsenic (As):  Negative / Non-Detect Cadmium (Cd): Negative / Non-Detect Tested with an XRF Instrument. All components were tested including each color block and all components of bag (zipper,…

#Leaded: Antique/ Vintage Floradora Doll

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Floradora doll: Eyes 7,551 ppm lead, Lips 10,000+ ppm lead, Dress: 57 ppm mercury. Tested with an XRF instrument. Thanks to Johna Robinson for donating and supporting this post! The amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children today is 90 ppm lead and higher. I don’t have a suggestion…

#LeadFree: 1978 Fisher Price Toy Tractor

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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…

Vintage Tinker Toy Set #2: 124 ppm Lead in the paper container for this toy. [90 is unsafe in modern toys.]

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Vintage Tinker Toys #2 All components tested Highest reading – 124 ppm lead (fairly low). The amount of lead considered toxic in a modern/ newly manufactured toy made for children is anything 90 ppm lead or higher.  This toy would be considered just marginally outside of the #LeadSafe range (there are many other vintage toys with…

#Leaded: Vintage Tinker Toys Tin

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Vintage “Tinker Toy Junior” container – paper: 115 ppm lead. Tested with an XRF instrument. The amount of lead considered toxic in a modern/ newly manufactured toy made for children is anything 90 ppm lead or higher.  This toy would be considered just marginally outside of the #LeadSafe range (there are many other vintage toys…

#LeadFree: Little Mommy

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Fisher Price “Little Mommy” doll, year unknown: Lead Free. Year not known. Tested in 2014. Here’s a link to the current version of this doll on Amazon*! Thanks to Cascade Wellness for donating and supporting this post! For #SaferChoices for your family, click here. To make a contribution in support of my independent consumer goods…

#Leaded: Antique Wood Picture Frame

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Antique (recycled wood?) painting / picture frame – 71,700 ppm lead!!!! Here’s a link to a better (#LeadFree/ #LeadSafe) choice on Amazon*! Thanks to Savannah Hegstad for donating and supporting this post! For more #SaferChoices for your family, click here. To make a contribution in support of my independent consumer goods testing and lead poisoning prevention…

#Leaded: Swedish Nils Olsson Painted Horse

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Swedish painted toy horse: as high as 360 ppm Lead. New in 2015. Thanks to Mary Byrd for donating and supporting this post! For #SaferChoices for your family, click here. To make a contribution in support of my independent consumer goods testing and lead poisoning prevention advocacy work, click here.  Thank you!  

#LeadFree: Small Wooden Train

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It is a myth that all “Made in China” toys have lead. This toy train was made in China and tested negative for lead. (“Non-detect” with an XRF instrument.) Year unknown, brand unknown, tested in 2016. Thanks to Samantha Burdette for donating and supporting this post! For #SaferChoices for your family, click here. To make…

Vintage / Antique Miniature Kitchen Sink Set: 51,000 ppm Lead. [90 ppm is unsafe for kids.]

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Antique miniature kitchen set.,. 51,000 ppm lead! The amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children is 90 ppm lead in the paint or coating or 100 ppm lead (or higher) in the substrate. Antiques and vintage items are not regulated and in most cases it is not required to…

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….

Antique German Serving Bowl by Heinrich & Co.: 8,245 ppm Lead in the decorative trim elements of the dish.

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Published: November 27, 2017 Antique German Serving Bowl by Heinrich & Co. White middle part: 28 ppm Lead  Colored edge trim: 8,245 ppm Lead. How much Lead is too much Lead?  For context: The amount of Lead that is considered toxic in a modern/recently manufactured item intended for use children is 90 ppm Lead (& up)…

#AskTamara: What consumer goods should I have tested with an XRF?

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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…