Stanleys contain led

Question

The original claim that the Stanley cup contains lead is from a woman who is claiming that her cup contains lead and has the potential to be harmful to both her and her child. This claim that there are harmful amounts of lead in a Stanley cup are false claims. If the cup is properly cared for, and not microwaved, etc. the cup is designed to be safe and not have levels of lead that risk any type of danger. "To cause some type of lead exposure, the Stanley Tumbler would need to be damaged or used in a way that is not intended, or become exposed to extreme heat." Basically, if the product is used and cared for in the way that it is directed and intended to be, it will not cause harm. This same thing would go for many other products as well, it is just basic proper use.

Comments

I think it is important to note that, though the product may only become dangerous if not used properly, there is lead used in the manufacturing of the product. After doing my own research, I found that in an article from Time Magazine Stanley told NBC, "they do use a lead pellet in the manufacturing process, in order to help insulate drinks from outside temperatures, it is covered by stainless steel and would not be able to contaminate drinks unless the stainless steel barrier was removed." While they claimed that it is rare for that to happen, it is possible.

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Did you find in your research how the led can be exposed? I can see this being an issue if the led can easily be exposed, by either the dishwasher or just overtime.

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I liked how you were able to find adequate background into how this claim was first made. I also liked how your evidence about lead exposure due to improper use was backed up by examples that are frequently made.

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I am wondering where found the original claim, is there a link you can provide that is visible to the public?

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According to Stanley themselves their products do contain some lead, "Our manufacturing process currently employs the use of an industry standard pellet to seal the vacuum insulation at the base of our products; the sealing material includes some lead. Once sealed, this area is covered with a durable stainless steel layer, making it inaccessible to consumers. " This title is slightly misleading as their products do contain lead but the lead is never exposed to the customer. The company also claims its products are safe to be handled in a dishwasher and if the seal is broken they will replace your product.

https://support.stanley1913.com/en/support/solutions/articles/69000850923-do-stanley-products-contain-lead-

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Stanley, themselves even said that there was lead in the product, however it is in an area that has to be damaged to access the lead, and harming that area is hard to get to. However, the claim is correct, that there is lead in the product, so consume at your own risk.

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The claim about harmful lead levels in Stanley cups has been investigated and deemed false. According to expert analysis, Stanley cups do contain lead, but it is used in a way that doesn't pose a risk to users under normal conditions. The lead is part of the material used to seal the cup's base and isn't exposed unless the cup is damaged. The Consumer Products Safety Commission hasn't issued any recalls for these cups, and lead detection tests for home use are generally not recommended due to their unreliability for testing on metals like those used in Stanley cups.

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I really like the way you articulated your fact-check. I think that it is important to understand where an assumption like this may have come from. It is important to educate consumers on their products so that assumptions do not get made about the safety of a product. Great job!

Answer 1

Stanley cups do contain lead. The original claim is very misleading. Stanley released a statement about the matter, mentioning that they do use an industry-standard pellet that seals the vacuum in their insulated tumblers; that seal is then covered by a layer of steel, making the pellet inaccessible to the consumer unless the tumbler goes through excessive damage. Stanley tumblers are safe to use when in ordinary condition. 

https://www.businessinsider.com/stanley-tumblers-lead-owala-hydro-flask-seize-moment-2024-2#:~:text=Stanley%20acknowledged%20in%20a%20statement,to%20consumers%20under%20ordinary%20conditions.

Answer 2

The original claim that stanley cups contain lead originates from a woman worried about the safety of her and her child drinking from stanley cups. While she is right, Stanley cups do actually contain lead, there is more to it. In an article from business insider, they claim, "Stanley acknowledged in a statement that it uses 'an industry standard pellet' that contains some lead to seal the vacuum insulation of its tumblers. The seal is then covered with a layer of steel that makes it inaccessible to consumers under ordinary conditions." So, while she is technically right that Stanley cups do contain lead, it is too little to cause any actual harm to anyone drinking from the cups. 

https://www.businessinsider.com/stanley-tumblers-lead-owala-hydro-flask-seize-moment-2024-2#:~:text=Stanley%20acknowledged%20in%20a%20statement,to%20consumers%20under%20ordinary%20conditions. 

Answer 3

From what I have found, the claim that Stanley cups have lead is true. There are small traces of lead found in the cup due to the industrial standard pellet found on the bottom of the cup. Stanley does make this clear on their website that the pellet is used for the vacuum seal technology and does contain some lead. They also add that it is not consumable and the consumer does not need to worry unless the pellet is damaged. A professor at New York University in Public Health said that "the threat to human health is really negligible because you’re not going to really put your mouth anywhere near that surface," 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/30/health/stanley-cups-lead.html

Answer 4

Stanley Cups do contain lead but according to and Stanley spokesperson, "they only pose a risk of lead exposure if the cover on the bottom of the tumbler comes off and exposes the pellet used to seal the cup's vacuum insulation" (Today) so if the cup is used correctly, not severely damaged, microwaved, etc, there should be no risk to consumers. For more information, see the Today's story on the matter here: https://www.today.com/health/news/stanley-cups-lead-rcna135513