Free Lead Test for Toys
State Senator Pat Jehlen encourages residents to get toys tested for lead.
In the wake of numerous toy recalls due to high levels of lead, State Senator Pat Jehlen (D-Somerville) and State Representative Denise Provost (D-Somerville) are helping concerned residents find out if their toys, clothes, and other household products contain lead and other toxins.
They have invited Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow to bring their portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) meter to scan toys and other products for lead. The meter is held against the product and provides an x-ray of the elements in the product within thirty seconds.
Medford and Somerville residents are invited to bring products they would like tested to the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Avenue, on Saturday, December 1, from 9:30AM to 1PM.
Things residents might want tested include the following:
– Anything made of vinyl such as children’s toys, shoes, raincoats,
lunch bags, handbags, backs (for lead, cadmium)
– Children’s jewelry (for lead)
– Pillows, foam cushions, children’s PJ’s (for brominated flame retardants)
– Brightly-colored ceramics such as flower pots or old dishes (for lead, cadmium)
– Office products with soft plastic parts such as staplers, binders, etc.
– Electronics: computer parts, video game controllers, etc. (for lead and brominated flame retardants)
Other products can also be tested. Contact Sen. Jehlen’s office with any questions at 617-722-1878.
More…
Facts about lead, including recent toy recalls, from the US Environmental Protection Agency
This was a great service, and so many people came that they had to limit the number of items tested to just a few per person. Perhaps the city or the school district would consider buying one of these XRF meters? They’re not hard to use, and just a few hours of testing this morning found high lead levels in our rubber ducky, high Cr levels in a Disney vinyl raincoat, high lead levels in a toy pots and pans set from Ikea, and more.