By Tamara Rubin, with permission
[I spoke with Tamara Rubin of Lead Safe Mama today and learned a lot about where lead is found. The call was sparked by my post on FB Is Your Crock-Pot Leaching Lead? In her non-argumentative way, she taught us all on that thread a few things. Anyway, you know I love to learn, and so I found out about my mom’s old dishes.]
Everybody’s grandmother seems to have had this butterfly pattern
These butterfly pattern vintage “Corelle by Corning” bowls (Made in New York) tested positive for Lead at 23,300 ppm when tested with an XRF instrument (this is the reading of a test done directly on the decorative pattern elements on the outside of the bowl).
The plain white parts of the butterfly pattern bowls (the base material/substrate) is generally Lead-free (and Cadmium-free too!) You can see the full XRF test results of a plain white Corelle bowl if you Click HERE.
Every version of this “Butterfly” pattern that I have tested is either very high Lead OR very high Cadmium (which is also toxic/carcinogenic.)
- To learn more about the concern for Cadmium toxicity, Click HERE.
- To learn more about XRF testing, Click HERE. Tamara has tested pottery (with a Niton XRF instrument that she is trained and certified in using) that was as high as 400,000 ppm lead! This is pottery that was ostensibly sold as a dish to eat off of.
- To learn more about the concern for lead contamination in dishware, Click HERE. Some “experts” will tell you that, “heavily decorated pottery has more lead”, however – as recently as earlier this week – I have found heavily decorated modern pottery from Mexico with 100 ppm lead, and plain white pottery from England with 80,000 ppm lead – which just reinforces that there is no way to determine content by such apparent empirical observations—you just can’t make assumptions.
For context: the amount of Lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children (when tested with an XRF instrument) is anything 90 ppm or higher in the paint or coating. [Or anything 100 ppm or higher in the substrate/base material.]
The CDC says NO level of lead is safe for kids. The potent neurotoxin is especially dangerous for young children, where it can permanently damage their attention and intelligence. It can also harm adults, causing high blood pressure, kidney damage, and, possibly, cancer. (Source)
Update: If you feel this is an over-reaction to the concerns we present, this news report substantiates everything Tamara says: WTHR 13 Investigates: Lead in Your Dishes
Are there any regulations for lead in eating vessels?
There is no regulation limiting the total Lead content in dishware, as detectable with an XRF instrument. They do regulate the amount of lead leeching out, not the content, as the leeching is what causes health problems. Modern dishware regulations focus on leach testing on the new dishes (not the used ones).
Caveat (Buyer beware): Don’t use any that are cracked or have damaged glaze – that is what causes leaching. Also frequent washings in the dishwasher eventually ruin the glaze and can cause problems from heated drying.
Antiques and vintage items were also generally not regulated for the presence of toxicants (if regulated at all) to any levels that could be considered protective of consumers’ health using modern scientific standards.
A goal for my advocacy is that all dishware be required to test negative for Lead by any and all testing methodologies, including XRF testing.
If a toy is considered toxic for use by a child using a specific testing methodology (for example, toys are toxic for Lead with XRF readings in the following range: “90 ppm and above”), why is it that this same testing methodology and standard is not used across the board for all consumer goods – especially dishware, which is used by humans of all ages (including children of all ages) and used across generations?
Most vintage Corelle pieces with printed decorative patterns are high in Lead. Click HERE to see some more examples of these pieces and their specific Lead readings (as detected with an XRF instrument.)
As a mother of lead-poisoned children, I personally would never use the butterfly pattern dishware or this type of decorated dish in my home. [Keep some paper plates on hand in case I come visit!]
Related: What should I do if my dishes test positive for lead? Click HERE.
Do you want to find a modern, Lead-free Corelle pattern that is suitable and safe for you to hand down to YOUR grandkids?
The safest dishes are new, all white Corelle. Corelle no longer has lead, guaranteed, and being glass instead of ceramic, it doesn’t have cadmium.
Check out Corelle Embossed Bella Faenza (they are my favorite Lead-free option on Amazon!)
As always thank you for reading and for sharing my posts. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Learn more about me and my work HERE.
Tamara Rubin. Two of her four boys were lead-poisoned when a contractor used an unsafe way to remove lead paint on the outside of their house.
#LeadSafeMama
“When you find a child that already has an elevated blood lead, you’re already behind the eight ball.” ~Jennifer Lowry, MD, Children’s Mercy Hospital
Maria
hey, I’m wondering – is the key to Corelle being lead-free that it’s modern, or that it’s not painted?
We eat off a combination of vintage and new stock “blue cornflower” corelle. Some of these are original to the 70s, some my Grandma made sure I had a complete set & bought new stock in the 90s, and some I bought as recently as 5yrs ago to replace broken dishes. I sure can’t tell which plates & bowls are from which era!!
Jacqueline
Maria, I will see if Tamara can come over and answer your question. Keep checking back as I don’t know here schedule, but will tell ask her! TY!
Tamara Rubin
Hi Maria,
With Corelle, the most important factor to keep in mind to make sure it is Lead-free is that it is plain white. There are some new modern patterns (Bella Faenza for example) that are plain white Corelle and really pretty and lead free. Many of the newer patterns that have colored designs are Lead-free but they are often positive for Cadmium instead (Cadmium is a known carcinogen)- so I generally recommend avoiding all of the colorful decorated patterns with the Corelle dishes specifically. …And that (what you mentioned) is a problem with the Corelle – without an XRF in hand to test your various dishes, it’s hard to tell which are from which era and which might have lead, since they made many of the patterns across multiple decade!
Tamara
Mayra Lopez
Corelle Embossed Bella Faenza 16-Pc Dinnerware Set, White, this set includes the dinner, salad, bowls and coffee mugs are all these items in this set considered lead safe?
Jacqueline
Hi, Mayra!
From what I can see, the dishes are made in the US but the mugs are made in China! I would not purchase the mugs as they will surely have lead in them, as most things from China do contain some lead. I would purchase the 12 piece set that includes the dinner, salad, bowls, minus mugs! https://amzn.to/3hrwC1I
I hope that helps!
Jacqueline
Jennifer
I have some vintage Corelle dishware with printing on it….is it likely the same conclusion as the other vintage Corelle you have tested here? I have a picture but cannot post here.
Erica
How do I purchase a meter to examine items in my own home?
Jacqueline
Erica, that I do not now. I would go online and search for the Niton XRF lead tester! https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/NITON300
The machines are VERY expensive and the testing is too: https://www.rotometals.com/metals-analysis-test-xrf-service-test-only-not-the-machine/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrvHq-dXb5gIVx0XVCh2YywP5EAQYAyABEgJUm_D_BwE
Adele Sands
With the bowls, does the white inside of the bowl test positive for lead? Or just the outside where is the color or pattern are, that you don’t eat out of?
Jacqueline
Adele, no, it is only the painted portions of the Corelle, but the concern is microscopic chipping when stacking and unstacking them. It is a dust that is them consumed! I hope that helps! ~J
Sue
You are doing yourself a disservice to associate with someone who has no creditionals to be testing for lead.
Jacqueline
Sue, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to use a Niton XRF instrument that she is trained and certified in using!
Mayra Lopez
Is the Corelle Embossed Bella Faenza set all lead free including bowls and both dinner and salad plates. Also Target has a set called Corelle 18pc Vitrelle Embossed Bella Faenza Dinnerware Set White is this the same as the set you have? Thank you so much on advance for your help.
Jacqueline
Yes, Mayra, the Vitrelle Embossed Bella Faenza Dinnerware Set White is what we have, but not the mugs!
Abbie McAdams
Are there other choices for dishware that is dishwasher and microwave safe besides the Corelle Embossed Bella Faenza? Cheaper options would be great.
Jacqueline
Hi, Abbie!
I am actually not aware of anything that is truly lead free as most plates and dishes come from China and are potentially contaminated. You might find a local artist that has found lead free clay (and glaze) and is making specific pieces, but that would cost a fortune!
To state something is lead-free, it has to be tested and then marketed as lead-free, so search for “lead-free plates” or dishes and see what turns up. I did not find anything when I searched about 6 months ago!
I hope that helps!
Blessings and Merry Christmas!
Jacque
Kim
I am trying to find out if my dishes have lead in them, there is no name on the dishes they have a lot of flowers in the middle with green rings, made in USA . They were my gmothers dishes we have been using them for about 20 yrs. Wish I had known about this issue.
Thank you for your time and responce.
Jacqueline
Kim, you would have to contact Tamara for her to scan and read the lead levels. There is no other way I know unless she has this dish already in here lists… you can look through them to see if there is a match:
https://tamararubin.com/topics/
I hope that this helps!
Blessings,
Jacque
Rose
I have the 6 1/2 Corelle Harbor Town with the fish design around the inside edge and wanted to know if this dish is safe to eat off of or does it contain lead. I read that it was produced in the late 2000s. I use this dish to feed my cat her raw food. I bought them in 2018, I read that the Corelle Harbor Town pattern was produced from 2018 to 2019. The fish design feels like it’s embossed and not painted on. The bottom of the plate says that it is break & chip resistant Corelle Vitrelle Made in the USA. I don’t want to throw them out unless you tell me that they contain lead or any other contaminent.
Jacqueline
Rose, I answered your first question and think this question would have the same answer…
Rose
Are the Corelle Outer Banks dishes safe to use or do they contain lead and other contaminants?
Jacqueline
Hi, Rose!
The way I understand it, “The plain white parts of the butterfly pattern bowls or any of the patterned dishes (the base material/substrate) is generally Lead-free (and Cadmium-free too!) You can see the full XRF test results of a plain white Corelle bowl if you Click HERE.” (see post for that link) But it is the part that has the pattern that contains the lead. It is prone to tiny, imperceptible flaking over time and is likely ingested.
So you can go to Tamara’s site and read more if that helps!
Sorry to be the bearer of the news!
~Jacque
Rose
Why did it take so long to find this out? We had the butterfly dish set in the 70s and used them all the time. Always liked Corelle because the dishes were light and microwavable. I have several bowls with different shapes with glass covers that have the spice design and daisy ribbon design that was given to me as a Wedding gift in the 75 and treasured them and used them a lot. I even have the pyrex brown bowls with covers that sit inside each other (3). Now I will probably throw them out.
Also, we just ordered all Classic Winter Frost White bowls and plates to replace our existing decorated plates from Walmart today.
Jacqueline
Rose, you mentioned something that is key… the bowls that nest inside one another. That is where the painted outside gets chipped off a very small amount at a time and is in the bowl below..
How many of us take the time to wipe or wash them out (be we put them away clean) or are aware that there are leaded paint particles too small to see just waiting to be ingested!
Rose
I just realized that I have been doing something to my cooking pots since the day I first got them. I took pictures to show you, but can’t send them because there is no way to send pictures to you.
I have always been putting paper towels or their glass covers between the Corelle cooking pots if they were stacked. The 3 brown nesting Pyrex pots were never nested inside each other. I always placed their flat covers between them. See without realizing it, I was doing a good thing. So, based on that, my Corelle cooking pots are safe to use because the design is outside and the outside never touches another pot because of the paper towels or the glass cover placed between them.
We received our Corelle Classic Winter Frost White bowls and dishes and started using them instead of the ones with designs.
It seems strange using all white, but we will get used to it.