+37 votes
in General Factchecking by Novice (690 points)
edited by
The source that I found that I used to research this claim seems to be a false story or had questionable content/information. This claim states that a woman threw away her Stanley water bottle after it caused lead poisoning in her three-year-old. The article then states that the woman herself conducted a lead test to confirm that the container contained lead. The source then uses a source from TikTok that included a user posting a video of a cotton swab claiming to prove the presence of lead to provide evidence for this claim. Although the evidence in this source seems askew and unreliable I do believe the purpose of this article is good-intentioned.
by Apprentice (1.4k points)
I appreciate your analysis of Stanley's containing lead. I do believe some wordage in your fact-check is askew. For example, you said 'caused' in the sentence "woman threw away her Stanley water bottle after it caused lead poisoning in her three-year-old." Which in the article you provided, isn't the case. In the article, it relayed "one woman claimed, her Stanley cup contained lead, and could potentially cause lead poisoning in her 3-year-old child." A part of the manufacturing process includes the sealing material, which contains some lead. However, that particular area is covered with durable stainless steel. I would say this article adequately describes why there are traces of lead found in Stanley cups, along with their safety measures to make sure customers are healthy and using a reliable product.
by Newbie (410 points)
Great reply, Sophia! I agree that the article shows authenticity and mentions there's lead in a Stanley. It's also good that they explain the steps they're taking and the safety measures to make sure it's not harmful.
by Novice (530 points)
I was very interested when I found this claim because I saw this on my Instagram feed today. At first I thought it was just another claim trying to cancel something in trend, but after more research I believe that the claim is true. Stanley spoke to NBC news and said that the manufacturing company uses metal palettes with a small trace of lead. This makes me believe that all these claims are true and there are trace amounts of lead in Stanleys. However, where the lead is in the cup would not give lead poising from drinking in it. The cups are safe to drink in and would not give people lead poisoning.
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/stanley-cups-contain-lead-pose-risk-lead-poisoning-experts-weigh-rcna135584
by Novice (690 points)
Nice find on the article, it did a good job of sourcing to the original text of the manufacturing company saying that there is indeed lead in the product. That link can be found in the article as well as from the official social media page of the Product saying that there is lead in the product, but it has to be damaged first. I do believe this fact check, that there is lead in the product, however, since its in an area that is hard to damage to get to the lead, I think the product is safe to be consumed.
by Novice (980 points)
I agree that the article was being honest about the lead content in the Stanley's. It's nice to see them outlining the precautions and safety measures that they are implementing to ensure that they are safe to use.
by Novice (660 points)
I agree it's nice to see the percautions and saftey measures that they are taking to make sure the product is safe to use
by Apprentice (1.2k points)
I think you did a good job finding the original source of the article. I do believe this fact check and that there is lead in the product, but it does say that it has to be damaged before lead poisoning can occur.
by Apprentice (1.3k points)
I think you did a great job fact checking and finding the original source. I agree that the overall purpose of the article was published with good intentions.

21 Answers

+1 vote
by Novice (620 points)
This claim suggests that Stanley cups contain enough lead to invoke lead poisoning on its users. After further research, I have discovered that Stanley cups do in fact use lead in their processing with the use of a lead pellet helping to further seal and insulate the container. This pellet only contains a small amount of lead, and cannot cause lead poisoning and doesn't pose a health concern for the users of Stanley cups. Stanley themselves came forward and confirmed that this small trace of lead is used in the insulation process, but it does not come in contact with the water one would drink. This claim is exaggerated.

https://time.com/6588909/stanley-cups-contain-lead-concerns-response-viral/

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/verify/stanley-cup-lead-health-verify/275-8e52adaf-2825-428f-8830-2543fcf54ec6#:~:text=Yes%2C%20Stanley%20tumblers%20are%20sealed,into%20contact%20with%20your%20drink.
Exaggerated/ Misleading
+1 vote
by Newbie (200 points)
The article discussing the possibility of Stanley Cups causing lead poisoning contains some accurate information about the presence of a lead pellet sealed within the cup. Stanley Cups do indeed have a lead pellet positioned between the base cap, and it is enclosed within stainless steel, making it inaccessible unless the cup is broken. However, the claim in the article regarding a 3-year-old contracting lead poisoning lacks supporting evidence upon investigation. Overall, the article is misleading as it incorporates truthful information but manipulates the narrative, potentially guiding the reader towards a particular interpretation.

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/verify/stanley-cup-lead-health-verify/275-8e52adaf-2825-428f-8830-2543fcf54ec6#
Exaggerated/ Misleading
+1 vote
by Novice (670 points)
The claim that Stanley Cups contain lead is true, however is is not on the surface of the cups. It is used to seal the cups, and the company responded to the claim stating that they are always searching for alternative and innovating ways to manufacture their products.

https://time.com/6588909/stanley-cups-contain-lead-concerns-response-viral/
Exaggerated/ Misleading
+1 vote
by Novice (740 points)
The source I used to read up on this claim was today.com. The article informed readers that yes, Stanley cups do contain lead, but the product needs to become damaged in order to expose the lead. The part that is lead is vacuumed insulated and surrounded by a stainless steal barrier. So yes it is possible for the lead to be exposed, but that possibility/scenario is very unlikely to happen.

Article: https://www.today.com/health/news/stanley-cups-lead-rcna135513
Exaggerated/ Misleading
+1 vote
by Apprentice (1.5k points)

This claim is true but it is not a danger to consumers of the Stanley brand. This originated from a Tik Tok post where a mother carried out a test on the bottom of the cup with a Q-tip to test for lead. Through this test she found that it does contain lead and was disappointed with the brand. Stanley does confirm that their cups have lead but only to seal their famous vacuum like temperature gage. They go on to say that the lead is covered in stainless steel to prohibit any contact with their consumers. They also mention that the only way to contract lead poising from their cups would be if the bottom lid broke off from the cup. The original post is misleading in that her child would not get lead poisoning by touching the cup but the cups do in fact contain lead. 

https://www.greenmatters.com/sustainable-living/stanley-cup-lead-poisoning

https://media.ppai.org/ppai-newslink/stanley-responds-to-viral-lead-rumors/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CRest%20assured%20that%20no%20lead,hottest%20promotional%20product%20of%202023.

https://support.stanley1913.com/en/support/solutions/articles/69000850924-do-the-quencher-h2-0-flowstate-tumblers-contain-lead-

Exaggerated/ Misleading
by Novice (730 points)
I like how you used multiple sources to prove your findings.
+1 vote
by Novice (620 points)

After reading through articles about Stanley's containing lead in them, I found out that yes, Stanleys do contain lead in them, but not at an unsafe level. "Yes, Stanley tumblers are sealed with a small trace of lead in their insulated cups, but the lead is completely enclosed by stainless steel and does not come into contact with your drink," the article says. Proving that drinking out of a Stanley cup cannot contain led poisoning or health issues. So yes the statement has some truth but it is exaggerated/misleading because the evidence proves that it is not unsafe. 

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/verify/stanley-cup-lead-health-verify/275-8e52adaf-2825-428f-8830-2543fcf54ec6

Exaggerated/ Misleading
by Novice (730 points)
I like how you used a direct quote from the company to prove whether or not this claim is true or false.
+1 vote
by Novice (730 points)

Upon doing outside research, Stanley products do have lead, but users are not consuming lead or being harmed through their use of lead. Stanley released a response to these allegations, stating "the chemical does not come into contact with any beverage place inside". While they do use lead in their products, they are not harmful to users and should not deter people from buying their products. A user can only get lead in their beverage if the product is damaged by the steel barrier coming off.

https://www.livenowfox.com/news/stanley-cup-lead-poisoning-risk-what-to-know-online-claims-company-responds#

https://www.today.com/health/news/stanley-cups-lead-rcna135513

Exaggerated/ Misleading
+1 vote
by Novice (660 points)
edited by

Based on the evidence I have gathered, it has been established that Stanley cups contain a certain amount of lead. They use lead in the insulation process of the cups, which explains why they have the ability to keep the temperature of liquids for long periods of time, this is similar to the “Thermo Flasks”. The manufacturing company uses a metal pellet in the insulating layer, this is what contains a small trace of lead. It is worth noting that the lead is enclosed within stainless steel, which prevents any direct contact between the lead and the drink or straw. Based on this information, consumers can safely use these cups without any risk of lead poisoning. So I do believe they have to give out the whole and right information when putting out a claim like this one.

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/verify/stanley-cup-lead-health-verify/275-8e52adaf-2825-428f-8830-2543fcf54ec6#:~:text=Yes%2C%20Stanley%20tumblers%20are%20sealed,into%20contact%20with%20your%20drink.

Exaggerated/ Misleading
+1 vote
by Novice (980 points)

During my search for information, I found that lead has been confirmed to be within Stanley cups. In the article, it says, "Lead is used as part of the tumbler’s vacuum insulation and is covered by a stainless steel layer that protects consumers from lead exposure," according to the Stanley Cup manufacturer, Pacific Market International. After further digging and from Complex website, a spokesman for the Stanley brand confirmed that the use of lead is present in the manufacturing process; however, “Rest assured that no lead is present on the surface of any Stanley product that comes into contact with the consumer or the contents of the product,” stated the spokesman. The only thing that concerns me with these statements is that they never state the name of the spokesman. But from the research I have done, I can claim that this is a true statement and that there is, in fact, lead in Stanley products.

Stanley Addresses Concerns of Lead in Viral Cups, Calls Exposure 'Rare' | Complex

Stanley and other drink cups contain lead. Should you be worried? | CNN

True
+1 vote
by Novice (550 points)
I have not seen this claim before but after some research it seems to hold some ground. I agree with there needing to be precautions when it comes to Stanley use. The claim touches on some safety precautions, while it has good intentions I think it could misinterpreted. The Stanley does contain lead, but not a part that is out in the open.
by Genius (41.9k points)
What sources did you consult when putting together your fact-check?

Community Rules


Be respectful.

There is bound to be disagreement on a site about misinformation. Assume best intentions on everyone's part.

If you are new to factchecking, take some time to learn about it. "How to Factcheck" has some resources for getting started. Even if you disagree with these materials, they'll help you understand the language of this community better.

News Detective is for uncovering misinformation and rumors. This is not a general interest question-answer site for things someone could Google.

Posting

The title is the "main claim" that you're trying to factcheck.

Example:
Factcheck This: Birds don't exist

If possible, LINK TO to the place you saw the claim.

Answering

LINK TO YOUR EVIDENCE or otherwise explain the source ("I called this person, I found it in this book, etc.")

But don't just drop a link. Give an explanation, copy and paste the relevant information, etc.

News Detective is not responsible for anything anyone posts on the platform.
...