Residential Screening
When children are repeatedly exposed to lead it has an effect on their cognitive development. Medical studies indicate that even a small amount of lead found in blood can reduce a child’s IQ. Elevated levels of lead can disrupt the formation of synapses in the brain, which are crucial to the behavioral and physical development of children. In adults, high lead levels can contribute to hypertension and a higher risk of strokes. Pregnant women and nursing mothers can transfer lead to their infants.
Toys
We come to you where your children’s toys are screened in the comfort and convenience of your home to identify those that contain unsafe amounts of lead and other hazardous metals. In a typical two hour visit we are able to screen up to100 toys. Our equipment uses safe XRF technology, which will not harm your toys unlike other testing methods.
XRF is 200 times more sensitive than home test kits. Home test kits can only detect lead in amounts over 1000 parts per million (ppm). Our testing can detect down to 5ppm.
Since 2007 there have been more than 200 lead-related toy recalls affecting at least 35 million toys. A recent U.S. government estimate indicate that 8-10% of toys sold today have levels of lead exceeding the current 600ppm limit. Canadian studies have reported as high as 30%.
Our website contains updated information on the most recent recalls released by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Jewelry
Many types of jewelry particularly those marketed to teens contain lead in the alloys and solder used during manufacturing. We can also distinguish real diamonds from imitations, plus measure the purity of gold and other precious metals.
Pet Toys
Dog and other pet chew toys may contain exceedingly high levels of lead. Our screening process will identify toys that could be causing health problems for your pets. Watch this pet toy video and here is the article that goes along with the video.
Books
Many books printed in the USA pre-1986 contained lead. Today, books imported from some foreign countries have been found to contain lead.
Household Ceramics (Flooring, Dishes and Pottery)
Lead is often added to obtain specific colors for glazing ceramic tile along with certain types of dishes, cups and pottery. Even though this lead is considered, in most cases, to be "passivated" or contained within the glass or ceramic, the physical condition of the surface determines if lead can be leached or absorbed by food or liquids. Heating in a microwave or allowing acidic liquids to sit in a glass or cup can accelerate this leaching process.
Surface abrasion on dishes and ceramic flooring can generate dust containing lead that can be absorbed by ingesting or breathing. It has been reported that ceramic dust containing lead the equivalent size of a grain of rice is enough material to contaminate three houses.
We can check for lead in ceramic or glass and depending on use and physical condition help our customer’s decision on replacement or disposal.
Carpets and Rugs
Lead and other heavy metals can be found in traditional and some modern oriental rugs and carpeting. Though now banned in most countries lead continues to found being used as a pigment for the fibers in some rugs. The dust particles from these runs are particularly dangerous to children who play on them and adults that inhale these fibers. There are also documented cases of lead contaminants from soils and lead based paint dust being found in the carpeting of older homes.
XRF is a very simple and cost effect method for determining if there is lead present in rugs and carpeting.
Outdoor Play Equipment
Certain types of playground equipment have been found to contain lead and other heavy metals. Arsenic was the most common preservative applied to wood used to build playgrounds and outdoor decks until a United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned the manufacture and sale of arsenic-treated wood residential uses as of January 1, 2004. Many of these structures still remain in neighborhoods and playgrounds across the United States and continue to be the largest source of arsenic exposure for most Americans.
Concerns have also been raised about the materials used as ground cover in playgrounds and in some cases contaminants found in the soil itself.
XRF can be used to check your play equipment, decks and surrounding soil and detect if arsenic, lead or any other heavy metals are in the environment.