#AskTamara: Are New Fisher Price Mega Bloks Lead Free?
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
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
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.]
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
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
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
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…
#LeadFree: Squinkie Dolls
Squinkie Dolls (love these!) Non-detect for lead (when tested with an XRF.) Here’s a link to at set of 12 similar dolls on Amazon*, only $5.98! Thanks to Heidi Farrell 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…
#Leaded: Swedish Nils Olsson Painted Horse
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
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…
#Leaded: Vintage Filing Cabinet
Vintage/ Antique Filing Cabinet (in my #SheShed): Lead: 191 +/_ 74. Tested with an XRF instrument. This is not typical – many vintage metal filing cabinets (& desks and other office equipment) are – in fact – very high lead. – The amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children…
Vintage / Antique Miniature Kitchen Sink Set: 51,000 ppm Lead. [90 ppm is unsafe for kids.]
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…
#Leaded: Antique Brownie Camera
Antique Brownie Hawkeye Camera by Kodak: black plastic: lead-free, metal knob (on left): 8,539 ppm lead. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children is 90 ppm lead. Antiques and vintage items are not regulated and in most cases it is not required to mark them as containing lead…
Antique “An-Du-Septic” Dustless Crayon Artista Water Colors Tin: 73,800 ppm Lead
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.
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?
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…
1999 Portmeirion China Plate with Cherry Pattern, Made in England: 88,900 ppm Lead [90 is unsafe for kids].
Portmeirion China: 88,900 ppm lead, when tested with an XRF instrument. The owner (a friend of mine) told me that this was purchased new as a wedding gift in 1999. Made in England. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children is anything 90 ppm lead and higher. Total…
#Leaded: Newer/ Modern Switch Plate.
Switch plate we touch every day – by our kitchen door: 12,700 ppm lead. Tested in 2012, purchased c. 2008. [My house]. Thanks to Alicia Bushman for donating and supporting this post! Read more about the testing I do here. For more #SaferChoices for your family, click here. To make a contribution in support of…
“You Are Special Today” Red Plate: 36,100 ppm Lead [90 is unsafe for kids] + 3,354 ppm Cadmium [75 ppm is unsafe].
The Original Red Plate Company: 36,100 ppm lead & 3,354 ppm cadmium. Made in Germany; 1979. Thanks to Tania Marino for donating and supporting this post! Read more about testing dishes here. To see the #LeadFree dishes I use in my home, click here. For more #SaferChoices for your family, click here. To make a…
#Leaded: Vintage Anchor Plate
Vintage Anchor Hocking Plate: 44,700 ppm lead. Thanks to Jodi Benham for donating and supporting this post! Read more about testing dishes here. To see the #LeadFree dishes I use in my home, click here. For more #SaferChoices for your family, click here. To make a contribution in support of my independent consumer goods testing and lead…
Older Corelle Iris Design White Glass Plate: 1,895 ppm Lead (90 ppm is unsafe for kids).
Older Corelle plate with decorative iris pattern Year of manufacture of this exact plate pictured here (the one I tested) is not known, however my readers updated me (August 2019) to tell me they have purchased this exact design (new at the store) in 1989 AND in 2019! I would be very interested in testing…
#Leaded: Blue Glass Plate
Blue glass plate purchased new (c. 2002): 870 ppm Lead. While this may be “fully encased”/ not bio-available, it is still not worth the risk for me to have something like this in my home. These were mine. I got rid of them. The blue glass can go either way (some pieces are not positive…
#Leaded: MSE Plate
MSE Plate: 16,128 ppm lead, 11,318 ppm arsenic. Is this “Martha Stewart Everyday”??? Will update if someone can confirm for me. Thanks! Thanks to Carla Hummel for donating and supporting this post! Read more about testing dishes here. To see the #LeadFree dishes I use in my home, click here. For more #SaferChoices for your family, click…
#Leaded: Tiffany & Co., “Nature” 1996
Tiffany Nature; Made in England, 1996: 62,500 ppm lead (both sides were positive for lead at the same levels.) Thanks to Kelly Lowry for donating and supporting this post! Read more about testing dishes here. To see the #LeadFree dishes I use in my home, click here. For more #SaferChoices for your family, click here. To…