CEH has only tested soft plastic lunchboxes. We don't know whether lead may be present in hard plastic or metal boxes at this time.
The levels CEH found in the lunchboxes are not high enough by themselves to cause acute lead poisoning during normal use. However, with prolonged use or if your child is exposed to lead from other sources, a leaded lunchbox would add to their health risk. Because lead has been shown to cause developmental problem in young children at very low levels, CEH believes it is important to eliminate all controllable sources of lead exposure, including lunchboxes.
Not all of the lunchboxes
CEH tested contain lead. However, at this time the only way to know for sure is
to test the lunchbox yourself, avoid vinyl (PVC) lunchboxes altogether, or buy
brands that have reformulated.
You can test vinyl lunchboxes using a hand-held lead testing kit available at most hardware stores. Most brands turn a bright pink color when they are rubbed on a surface containing lead. A clear or orange swab means there is not lead. Parents should rinse the test solution off of a negative box before re-using it.
If your child's lunchbox
tests positive, we recommend that you do not use it any longer. Please send CEH
your positive lunchbox so that we can add it to our investigation and notify
other parents. Please include your contact information (including email and
mailing address), when and where you purchased the box. Boxes can be mailed to:
Center for Environmental Health, 528
61st Street Suite A, Oakland, CA 94609
Below is a list of manufacturers that offer vinyl-free lunchboxes. This list is not necessarily all-inclusive.
Reusablebags.com offers several vinyl-free lunchboxes:
Organic and regular cotton bags
"Lunchbugs" cloth lunch
bags
CoolTotes insulated bags
EarthPak bags made from recycled
soda bottles
SIGG Kids Bags
Lunch Pak by Fleurville
Laptop Lunch Kit
byo lunchbag® by BuiltNY
World of Good offers a hand woven reed lunchbox and is committed to fair trade.
Mimi the Sardine offers vinyl-free water-proof lunchbags online and in Whole Foods stores in the Northwest and Southwest.
Progressive Kid offers EarthPak bags for sale on their website and are committed to social responsibility and environmental awareness.
Did you know... Hospitals are a major source of pollution. See what CEH is doing to help.
Citing the dangers of lead in baby powders and children's medicines, we sued Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and other major drug companies, driving them to make their products safe. See what else we’ve accomplished in our first 10 years.