#SaferChoices: How to choose a Lead-free tea kettle

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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…

Kleynimals stainless steel toys keys – a great alternative for babies who just have to play with real metal keys!

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Originally published: January 8, 2017 Updated: January 11, 2020 As we have discussed quite often on my Facebook page, house keys often have very high levels of lead. Unfortunately children are inexplicably drawn to playing with your keys! While letting babies play with metal things that they might put in to their mouth is not…

Small Le Creuset ceramic custard cup: 131 ppm Lead + 67 ppm Arsenic.

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Small newer Le Creuset ceramic pot (custard cup?): Both outside and inside tested positive for lead in the 118 to 131 ppm range ppm. The red outside also tested positive for arsenic at 67 ppm. (Lollipop included to show size.) Newer (exact age unknown). —- This item (since it was newer & manufactured by a…

Le Creuset Red & Creme Colored Ceramic Mixing Bowl: 40,700 ppm Lead. [For context, 90 ppm is unsafe for children’s items.]

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Le Creuset Ceramics Le Creuset brand red & cream-colored ceramic mixing bowl. Newer model [c. 2014 or earlier – exact year of manufacture unknown]. When tested with with an XRF instrument the bowl pictured here had the following readings: Outside Reading (Red Glaze): 40,700 ppm Lead Inside Reading (Cream Glaze): 117 ppm Lead Test results are science-based, replicable,…

Le Creuset Tea Kettle: 11,900 ppm Cadmium (Cadmium causes cancer & does not belong in our tea kettles!) + 103 ppm Lead

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Introduction (for those new to this website): Tamara Rubin is a federal-award-winning independent advocate for consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children, her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005. Since 2009 Tamara has been using XRF testing (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)…

#CadmiumConcerns: Le Creuset Casserole

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Le Creuset Casserole.  red coating: 11,900 ppm cadmium. The exterior coating was non-detect for lead. Inside: non-detect for cadmium. Click here to read about #CadmiumConcerns Tested with an XRF —- #XRFTesting #LeadedDishes • #LeadSafeDishes For more safer choices in dishware options, click here.

The exterior enamel on this Le Creuset kettle was positive for 9,163 ppm Cadmium. Cadmium is a known carcinogen.

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The exterior of this Le Creuset red enameled tea kettle was positive for 9,163 ppm Cadmium when tested with an XRF instrument. It is not possible to test the interior surface of most of these kettles with an XRF instrument without destroying the kettle, because the instrument does not fit in the opening of the kettle. The…

Small Blue Ceramic Le Creuset Custard Pot: 36,900 ppm Lead

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Blue (outside glaze): 36,900 ppm Lead. Cream (inside glaze): 128 ppm Lead. Note: this is a REAL Le Creuset miniature pot, a ceramic version made to look like their cast iron ones. It is made to be used in the oven as a custard pot (to bake a single-serving custard in) or for similar purposes. It…

If a doctor says your baby’s Blood Lead Level is “normal” – get a new doctor. There’s no “NORMAL” level of LEAD in blood.

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Originally posted: January 7, 2017 Updated: June 07, 2021 I have written this post out of frustration over the rampant misinformation given to parents when they first get their children tested. Doctors often tell parents their child’s Blood Lead Level [“BLL”] is “normal” when the level is 1, or 2, or 3 — or even…

My favorite article ever about the impact of low-level Lead exposure

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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…

#AskTamara: What is the impact of lead poisoning in adults, including college age students?

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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…

Ask Tamara: What are the symptoms of childhood Lead poisoning?

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Originally written: April 2014 Updated: December 16, 2019 I get this question all the time… so here’s a re-share of an older post I wrote with the answers.  As always, please let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks for reading! QUESTION: What are the symptoms of childhood Lead poisoning? ANSWER: The most important…

Ask Tamara: How quickly did Avi’s blood Lead level (BLL) go down after he was poisoned?

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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…

#LeadedHousehold: Lead in Hoses

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Posted: January 6, 2017 Below is a post I originally wrote and shared in June of 2014.  I’ve slightly updated it for today.  It’s a post I have shared often so I am re-sharing now, so those who are new to my page and my work have the benefit of the information provided.  Thanks for…

My son Avi’s first ever Blood Lead Level (BLL) Test, from November 4, 2005 (when he was just 9 months [+ 7 days] old).

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Posted: January 6, 2017 Below is a post originally written and shared in March of 2015.  It’s a post I have shared often so I am re-sharing now, so those who are new to my page and my work have context for my story as well as the benefit of the information provided.  Thanks for…

Vintage Syracuse china “Old Ivory” bowl with gold trim: 31,400 ppm Lead. For context: 90 ppm is unsafe for kids.

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When tested with an XRF instrument this “Made in USA” – Syracuse brand vintage “Old Ivory” pattern china bowl was positive for 31,400 ppm Lead. For safer choices in dishware options, click here. To see more vintage china I have tested, click here. To see more Syracuse brand pieces I have tested, click here. As…

Vintage Syracuse plain white ceramic dish, “Carefree” Serene pattern: 30,600 ppm Lead. 90 ppm is unsafe for kids.

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When tested with an XRF instrument this simple white Serene pattern Carefree True China (Made in the USA by Syracuse) had the following reading: Lead: 30,600 ppm For context: the amount of Lead that is considered illegal and unsafe in a modern item made today and intended for use by children is anything 90 ppm…