Vintage Metal Fondue Pot with Orange and Cream Colored Enamel: 15,300 ppm Cadmium (a known carcinogen.)

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Published: April 28, 2017 Updated: August 18, 2021 Enamel Fondue Pot: 15,300 ppm Cadmium. How much Cadmium is too much Cadmium? In the State of Washington there is a limit of 40 ppm Cadmium for cookware and dishes that may be used by children. This is the strictest Cadmium regulatory standard that I am aware…

Made In Mexico Blue Glazed Ceramic Dish: 51,608 ppm Lead + 31,350 ppm Arsenic + more than 100,000 ppm Mercury.

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When tested with an XRF instrument this Mexican glazed ceramic bowl – with bird design on the inside had the following readings on the food-surface of the bowl: Lead (Pb):  51,608 ppm Mercury (Hg): >100,000 ppm (greater than 10% Mercury in the glaze) Arsenic (As): 31,350 ppm Takeaway: PLEASE avoid all Mexican pottery (especially for food use…

Ceramic Child’s mug with Teddy Bear: 15,000 ppm Lead. 90 ppm & up is illegal in modern items intended for use by kids.

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Ceramic Baby Cup with Teddy Bear: 15,000 ppm lead. Tested with an XRF instrument. The current amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for use by children is anything 90 ppm Lead and higher in the paint, glaze or coating and anything 100 ppm Lead or higher in the substrate. Items intended for…

Classic Ceramics California Pantry Mug

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Classic Ceramics, California Pantry, 1998. Ceramic Mug, Made in Indonesia: 6,913 ppm lead, 532 ppm Cadmium. #XRFTesting FYI: The current amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children is anything over 90 ppm lead. Items intended for adults (including dishware) are generally unregulated for total lead content. Tamara Rating: F F = If you served…

Blue Corelle Stoneware Mug

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Blue Corelle Ceramic Mug:  95 ppm Lead. Made in Thailand. #XRFTesting FYI: The current amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children is anything over 90 ppm lead. Items intended for adults (including dishware) are generally unregulated for total lead content. This mug would be considered safe by most standards.  I would not…

“Classic Greek” Ceramic Coffee Cup!

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Coffee cup , ceramic: no lead, no cadmium, no mercury! Woohoo! #XRFTesting FYI: The current amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children is anything over 90 ppm lead. Items intended for adults (including dishware) are generally unregulated for total lead content. For More Safer Choices For Your Family Click…

Ceramic Cow Creamer; Circa 2010

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Ceramic cream cow: 85 ppm lead (purchased at Modcloth). #XRFTesting This item is considered lead-safe by all standards. The current amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children is anything over 90 ppm lead. Items intended for adults (including dishware) are generally unregulated for total lead content. For More Safer Choices For…

#Random, 6th Grade

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Because this is my blog and I can post whatever I want here… I thought it would be fun/ funny to re-share this photo of my 6th grade class (Foster School, Mr. Collins, 1980, Hingham Mass!) with the world.  Thanks Paula for sharing this photo with me. Looking back on the past provides so much…

Portland Public Schools Bond – Lead Crusade

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My family received this in the mail yesterday (4/27/2017). It is a political mass mailing about the 2017 Portland Public Schools Bond Measure 26-193, coming up for a vote next month (here in Portland, Oregon – USA.) I will be writing a blog post about my thoughts in response to this bond this weekend and will link…

My “Top 11” #AdvocacyGoalsRevised

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I am really enjoying reading all of the other / alternate memes of 10 that have come up…(based on the “10-concerts” game floating around Facebook right now)… – Here’s my version: – Top 10+ #LeadPoisoningPrevention Advocacy Goals/ Dreams: – 1. Change the national legislation so ALL SCHOOLS for ANY CHILD or ADULT ANY AGE (including colleges and graduate…

Fun with #SiteStats… Do I have an international reach? Why yes!

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Today I answered a questionnaire that was sent to lead poisoning prevention advocates around the country.  It wanted to know if I had a local, national or international reach.  I checked “International” without really thinking about it… because off the top of my head I know I am working with/ helping families and other parent…

Are 3M LeadCheck Swabs “Safe”? I saw on the package that they contain LEAD!

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Originally published December, 2013 Updated April 2017 I get this question every now and then – so I thought I would post the question and my answer here.  I also asked the folks at 3M for their take: Question: Hi Tamara, I read the back of our lead testing kit, and was so disappointed to…

Vintage Strawberry Shortcake Glasses contain 87,500 ppm Lead — did you have this one?

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   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,…

Green Glass Desk Lamp

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Library / desk lamp with green glass: 32,400 ppm lead (in the glass.) Tested with an XRF. Thoughts: Is this going to harm the owner?  Probably not. Can we manufacture lead-free glass for items like this?  Absolutely, yes. Is manufacturing items with high lead content harming the environment and potentially harming factory workers?  Absolutely, yes. Can we strive to have lead-free homes and a lead-free…

Anchor Clear Glass Loaf Pan

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Anchor Ovenware Loaf Pan: no lead – no mercury – no cadmium – no arsenic! I have these in my home, but this one belongs to my friend Gayle. Most modern clear glass is lead-free. Click here for more examples of testing of clear glass that I have done. Tested with an XRF. Apple included to show…

Blue “Cornflower” Design Corningware Baking pan: Lead-Free (but this does not apply to all years of production for this pattern!)

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       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…

Pampered Chef Baking Tray: 24 ppm Lead (safe by all standards!)

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Pampered Chef Baking Tray, c. 2013:  24 ppm Lead when tested with an XRF instrument. This is considered safe by all standards. The amount of lead that is regulated and considered unsafe in items manufactured and intended for use by children is anything 90 ppm Lead or higher in the paint or coating (or 100 ppm…

Q: I’m concerned that the original bathtub that came with my older home might have Lead. What should I do?

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Originally Posted June 17, 2014 Updated April 2017 Question from Lucy (Via MisLEAD: America’s Secret Epidemic Facebook Page). QUESTION: Hi Tamara, We just bought a new house and it has the original bathtub (1956). What would be the best and most effective way to test for lead? I’d also like to test dishes, toys, water….