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Read the full post for details that may pertain to your sippy cup after reading my update below:
2/22/17 Update: Green Sprouts is stating that their sippy cups are in compliance with CPSC rules. See below in my post about CPSC compliance. They will not be doing a recall but will be offering a replacement of the glass insert with a glass insert with no markings (thanks to my suggestion to them to make one without paint!). Going forward they also are making the glass inserts without any markings/paint. To read the full details and how you can get your replacement glass insert read this link.
Update: Breaking news, the Green Sprouts owner just made a statement on 2/10/17 that they would be doing a voluntary recall. On 2/11/17 they backtracked and stated that their products tested within the safe limits and would be working with the CPSC. Two XRF testings show the paint on the glass reading at 3,003ppm and over 4,000ppm. The owner assured me they would “do the right thing”.
Statement that was recalled:
i play., Inc., maker of green sprouts® brand, was founded with a mission to produce healthy baby products. When I started i play 35 years ago, the basic premise was to use safe and healthful materials and to be proactive in our research to find potentially harmful ingredients or additives. Our goal is to not only meet, but to exceed, the standards established for children’s products by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) and other regulatory bodies.
We take these claims for the Glass Sip and Straw Cup very seriously, and have been investigating, but decided to take corrective action without delay in an abundance of caution. We have made the decision to conduct a voluntary recall of the Glass Sip and Straw Cup. We have contacted the CPSC to inform them of our decision and we will be working them to notify the public and to develop a corrective action plan. We appreciate our customers and their support while we resolve this issue.
A brand new Green Sprouts sippy cup was tested for lead and it shockingly came up positive at over 3,000 parts per million (ppm) lead. All the details and pictures are below.
Which cup was tested?
This exact sippy cup pictured below was purchased off of Amazon and fulfilled by Amazon LLC. It was tested right out of the box.
What part has lead?
The outside of the sippy cup is plastic housing. On the inside is glass jar that once filled goes inside the plastic housing. On the outside of the glass jar is writing (similar to some measuring cups). See the pictures below. The writing is what tested positive at 3,003ppm lead.
The allowable limit of lead for a children’s products (that a child is going to come into contact with) is 90ppm. In this case the child is most likely not going to come into contact with the writing on the outside of the glass… until they are old enough that they can unscrew the bottom and take it apart or help mom put it together (which a reader said her son does!). Also, this writing (whether white or red) can wash off. The mom who owns these bottles, and who had the Green Sprouts sippy cup tested, has been using this for her daughter for the last year and a half. She has glass bottles that no longer have the writing on it. That writing, and lead, has washed off in her dishwasher over the years.
Who tested this and was it a certified lab?
Tamara Rubin, lead positioning awareness advocate, was testing consumer goods for lead and other heavy metals. I, along with some readers, hired Tamara test some items we use frequently. Tamara used a Niton XRF that has software to test consumer goods. She is certified and trained to use this machine. It was not tested in a lab but results produced by XRF machines are accurate. The owner of this bottle would happily send this off to be tested by a third party lab if requested by Green Sprouts. Tamara’s findings are pictured below. In the unleaded picture CD is Cadmium (another toxic metal linked to cancer). The cadmium values are within the allowable limits. We don’t know if this leaches or not but I would maintain there is a no safe level of leachable cadmium in a child’s, or adult’s, product.
Additional testing done:
Once this mom received the results above back she decided to test her Green Sprouts that she had at her home (and had purchased at various locations over the years) with 3M lead test swabs. These swabs will turn red if lead is present. The white writing on her bottle turned red as you can see in the pictures below indicating lead. The swab from the test on her red writing was inconclusive. The red writing was not tested by an XRF. Her at home test confirmed there is lead on the exterior of the glass bottle with white writing.
How do you know if your Green Sprouts sippy cup has lead?
Test it! You can buy lead test strips inexpensively at Home Deport or you can order here through amazon.
So what does all this mean and what should you do?
In my opinion, I would no longer use this sippy cup if I owned it. The risk of the writing on the exterior of the glass portion of the Green Sprouts sippy cup coming off is too high. I just can’t stop thinking about the leaded writing coming off in the dishwasher then those dishes being used to serve my family food on. To note, this doesn’t mean your dishes and dishwasher is doomed and covered in lead dust. If I just read this and washed this cup in my dishwasher I personally would run my dishwasher a few more times to make sure everything is washed off. I can’t support a company that is using this high of lead in a child’s product. Let alone a child’s product that is for drinking or eating. From everything I have read from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) as long as the child can not touch a component of a product intended for them then the company does not need to stay under the 90ppm law. It does not make it right in my opinion though. The CPSC will get to weigh in on if this certain situation the amount of lead is allowable or not.
How can you let Green Sprouts know about your concerns?
Comment on this post. They are following it and have responded below. See below for their responsive comment.
You can also email them to express your concerns at [email protected]. They have received a lot of emails and are fully aware of the concerns and are doing their best to investigate.
Why is lead an issue?
Lead is a neurotoxin that causes permanent brain damage. It is especially harmful for children under 6 years old.
Why am I sharing this?
To spread awareness. We as consumers should expect safe products for our families. We can support companies that make safe products for us and our families. You as a parent can decide if you are comfortable using this product with your child.
If you no longer want to use the Green Sprout sippy cup, what should you use instead?
That’s a good question. There is no perfect answer for all of my criteria. I have a post on sippy cups if you would like to read further on what we use in our house.
Since posting this, I’ve received several pictures of mom’s testing their Green Sprouts Sippy Cup writing for lead. Below is a sampling of pictures I received. I have received many, many more but I from a time standpoint I can not post them all.
I’m hearing from people that are testing and they are getting both positive and negative tests.
See this post discussed on the news by consumer protection reporter Julie Watts.
Other posts you might find interesting:
Leaded insulated stainless steel water bottles
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How disheartening. We use this exact sippy cup for my son’s water; he uses it all day, everyday! I run the glass through the dishwasher with all my other dishes. I am appalled that Green Sprouts is using lead in their products for young children. Thank you to the mom who sent this cup in to be tested, to Tamara and to Shannon. Always appreciate the information provided on this blog. ????
I sure hope green sprouts refunds my money for the 2 I bought. I paid a premium price for what I thought was a premium non-toxic product. Very disappointed.
Ugh!!! I just bought this like a month ago ????
This is distasterous. We all use these cups ONLY because they were the least toxic choice for our children. I am so angered by these results and am about to throw away all of the green sprouts products in my home.
Wow this so disturbing! although my children never touched the class, i will no longer be using these in our house. I have had great customer service when dealing with them before..lets hope they step up!
This makes me want to start crying
I’ve spent nearly $20 a cup for *several* for my child and friend’s children to have them exposed to lead and other hazardous materials?? This is so frustrating, especially when a company displays themselves to be “green”. Why don’t companies and corporations see the importance of providing healthy products for people?!
I don’t get how companies are not making things lead free. Especially children’s cups! Really it should all be lead free. As a parent who is aware of the negative effects of lead and tries hard to minimize exposure, this is engaging!
This is crazy. I just threw all of mine away. I am so upset. We thought theses were safe and these are all we used for 3 years now.
Thank you for sharing!!
I am SO upset with this company! I can’t believe they have put children at risk through their negligence. SHAME ON THEM.
This is beyond disheartening. My son LOVES this sippy cup. I will be writing Amazon to return the product. Although I must say, the cup I have looks a little different. I do not believe it has the measuring marks on it- I purchased it within the last year.
This is DISGUSTING. Infuriating and frustrating. My daughter has been using this cup for over a year. We have many. The paint has come off on the glass on a few of them. Besides lead having been in my dishwasher and on my hands from handling the glass insert (AND THEN TOUCHING FOOD), I am also concerned that it has been on any sponge that was used to clean the glass, and then distributed to whatever else was being “cleaned” at that time. I try my hardest to make the best decisions for “non toxic” products for my home. By purchasing this $20 slippy cup, made of glass and “silicone” (why cadmium in it?!?!?!) I would expect it to be made of quality materials. This company should be ashamed of itself and I expect that all dissatisfied customers be refunded. I will never buy anything from Green Sprouts again, and will be sure to tell all of my friends and family!!!
SHAME ON YOU GREEN SPROUTS! I am calling on green sprouts to make this right right away! Do not hide behind the technicality that the paint is on a part that’s not intended to be directly touched by children. THAT AMOUNT OF LEAD DOES NOT BELONG ON , IN, OR ANYWHERE NEAR A CHILDREN’S FOOD PRODUCT! Most moms probably wash all the parts of this cup together meaning the paint can easily get washed off and particles transferred onto the spout or handles of this cup. Regardless of if CPSC issues a recall, Green Sprouts needs to take it upon themselves to offer a voluntary recall and make a cup that is LEAD & CADMIUM FREE. Green Sprouts, please show us moms who buy your product in hopes of providing a safe toxin free product for our children that you care about us, our children’s health and your image! Do the right thing!
Thank you to all involved for testing and sharing these results.
Wow! I own several Green Sprouts products for my baby, and this is one of the first sippy cups I would have considered buying. I’ll be looking into other options, until there’s a update/ correction by Green Sprouts! Thank you for the info!!!
This is so disappointing. I was planning on buying a few of these, but I will not purchase from this brand until they have fixed the lead issue.
Outrageous. Not only the lead is disturbing, but the cadmium in the parts that touch children’s mouths and beverages!? Outrageous.
I AM LIVID. My question is: Has anybody’s child lead level actually went up after using this??? What is the likelihood that it could have gotten in our child’s system? My son has been using since March 2016 and has been using it as his main sippy since September 2016. We hand wash and it has soaked in very hot water with other dishes tons of times. One teeny tiny part look like it wore off on the “mL” part but that’s it. He tested ND for lead at the end of November for what it’s worth.
Green Sprouts you should be ashamed of this and should make it right with your customers. We are NOT happy.
There would be no way of knowing unless you tested BLL right before using and then again now. However, regardless, the risk in using leaded writing that comes off is big. No parent should have to worry about if a product their child uses is going to cause permanent damage. I do hope Green Sprouts takes swift action.
Does Tamara have insight into whether it would contaminate other dishes in the dishwasher… and how to decontaminate them? Is it a matter of rewashing them? And how do you know if lead from the glass impacted your family? This is very alarming and disheartening.
There is no way to know about lead levels unless you happened to do a blood draw right before using and then again now after using. As for the dishwasher, personally I would just run it on empty and wash my dishes again. Most likely the paint came off slowly and was mostly washed away. There is no way of telling which is why I would wash everything for extra measure.
Wow that’s crazy! Nothing is safe!
Now I’m wondering about our measuring cups… Have glass measuring cups been tested?
Yes, some measuring cups with red writing have tested positive for lead. The best bet is to get measuring cups with no writing. Often times I just use mason jars.
That’s why I don’t trust anything made in China
amen!
I will also say that water does get inbetween the different pieces if you fill it too much. My guy liked to try putting it together once in a while too…
Wow! This really doesn’t make you feel comfortable with the entire brand. We have owned a couple of sippy cups from them, but we will no longer be buying this brand. Thanks for sharing your findings.
This is horrible! We will no longer be using this cup. This is what happens when things are manufactured in China and companies don’t do regular testing. They need to start testing regularly AND move things to the USA. What a huge disappointment. It will be interesting to see what they do.
So horrible! Green washing at its finest! “Green” sprouts. I’m not shocked that this is made in china. The writing is pointless. If your child is old enough to be drinking out of a sippy cup you know longer need to measure their liquids!
Hi. This is Becky Cannon, founder and owner of i play. Inc. and maker of green sprouts brand. I am writing as a mother, and now a grandmother. I started this company, i play., Inc. 35 years ago from my love and concern for the wellbeing of my children, and others too. One of the basic principles for our products is that they are healthy and safe.
From the beginning, we have placed quality from the baby’s point of view as a priority in our product research, design, testing, and manufacturing processes. Ahead of the curve, we have been a pioneer in discovering the potential negative impact on petroleum plastics and additives, such as PVC and BPA. We spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on testing and quality control to insure that our products are safe for babies.
I appreciate that your readers have taken the extra step to care for their child by educating themselves on the materials in products and also by paying extra for a glass sippy over a plastic one. They are the kind of parents that we want as our customers.
The Glass Sip and Straw Cup has passed third party testing so we are very alarmed with your findings. We take this very seriously and are investigating as a top priority.
Hi Becky, thank you for your reply. What does passed third party testing mean? Does that mean you thought these were lead free or that they were below the allowable limits? I do hope you take the time to read these comments as they come in. Parents are using the glass insert for their children to drink out of and handle separately – exposing children to high levels of lead. There was no warning that this contained such high levels of lead. I hope that you are able to do a recall immediately to get these out of the hands of children and are able to offer a lead FREE option in the future. Again, I appreciate you taking the time out to reply here. Please keep us all posted.
Are you willing to publish third party testing? My son has been using this cup and I am very concerned at these findings. Even though the allowed amount of cadmium is in your product I will not be buying any of these products again until there is zero cadmium. I will be returning my cup to amazon.
My understanding of XRF testing is such that I do not believe that this is the appropriate testing instrument for the type and quantity of material tested in this instance. As far as I am aware, you would need at lease one gram (visually, what would look like 1/4 teaspoon) of material to get accurate results. That could be why these results are surprising as a reputable testing company (like a third-party agency) would have likely chosen a different method to test the lettering on these cups that would be able to yield accurate and reliable results. Maybe the third party testing agencies used by Green Sprouts/ iPlay could explain this in detail (I am not an expert and can only go based on what I have been told by an XRF certified electrical engineer and testing agency)?
Hi Charlotte,
This particular XRF that Tamara uses is the exact same XRF CPSC uses to test consumer goods. It’s not giving a false positive. She was doing readings for up to 1 minute which is LONG. The longer the time, the more accurate. I agree a third party certified lab needs to test this; however, with the XRF being positive as well as a number of at home lead test kits there are batches out there with lead in the writing.
I think this is so serious that it needs to be followed through. Discounting the testing isn’t going to help resolve this concerning issue. Why would many people, who bought from various places, being getting positive lead results from their 3M lead test swabs.
I’m sure iPlay / Green Sprouts and the CPSC will be doing third party testing and getting to the bottom of this.
I would like to add that I *do* think there is lead present in these (swabs would not be testing positive in these amounts if they were ND for lead). I would not buy one of these cups because of this.
It’s not discounting testing to just say that maybe this isn’t the most appropriate application for this particular testing instrument. This is a valid concern brought up by a scientist from a certified testing facility and an electrical engineer certified to use the XRF instrument that I spoke with (because I’m considering having items tested myself). Like I said, I wouldn’t but this cup, but I don’t know how *accurate* (accuracy refers to “the degree to which the result of a measurement, calculation, or specification conforms to the correct value or a standard”) the XRF results can be if this is not the proper application for this instruments usage.
In this instance, the manufacturer needs to be sending the items in for testing from a certified lab to confirm the results. Going forward, they should be batch testing at a certified, third-party lab to ensure quality and uniformity of safety standards.
XRF testing used by CPSC is used for screening with mixed substrates. It is not approved for testing of mixed substrates. From the blog post, it is impossible to tell whether the testing of the painted surface was compared to the unpainted surface – that is, was the lead present in the paint or in the glass. In other words, was substrate interference corrected? Also, no error rate is given or the calibration information. I tested for years with an XRF. While the information may be available and everything may have been done properly, this post doesn’t give the information and plays into fear mongering.
Yes, the glass was tested and there was no lead. If there had been lead other places I would have posted that information. It was just in the writing. No, I did not give the error rate because I didn’t receive it. Honestly, though, the error rate isn’t going to get it down under 90ppm as you know from years of using an XRF. It is not fear mongering. I would love to know why you think it is? If it was tested at 100ppm and I didn’t give an error rate and I stated everyone was being lead poisoned then IT would be fear mongering. Did you see the news video? Maybe it will answer some questions for you. A company in CA tested the sippy cup on air after reading my blog post. It tested at over 4,000ppm. It was then sent to a certified lab (which I stated in my blog post that this wasn’t a certified lab testing). Exactly as you said above it was a screening tool. Please watch the news story on it https://naturalbabymama.com/baby/natural-baby-mama-made-news-lead-sippy-cups-water-bottles/
This is outrageous! Companies should be testing every batch of goods they manufacture for sale. Especially those intended for children! There is no excuse for this. And there should be even higher expectations from a “green” company touting themselves for being especially aware of the dangers of these types of toxins. Green Sprouts needs to immediately recall these cups and change their quality control procedures so this NEVER happens again. Shame on them.
I have three of these. I”m pretty sure the first one I bought (in 2014) had no white paint or markings or anything on the glass part. The two that I bought in 2016 have the white paint marking on the glass part.
I have used 4 of these for almost 2 years and I always recommended them to other moms! So mad and disappointed. Thank you for posting this.
I’m extremely upset regarding this finding. We just bought this sippy a month ago, and fortunately haven’t used it yet. I’m calling Amazon straightaway to return it.
I worry about their freezer trays. We’ve used them to freeze homemade baby food ever since my son started on solids.
Becky, thank you for your response. As a mother and a grandmother, you should understand how disappointed and concerned we all are. You can clearly sense this from all of us readers whose babies, toddlers and children have been using your sippy cup on a regular basis. We await your investigation and your speedy reply.
This is very concerning! Thank you for all the work that you do! Do you know anything about the Safe Sippy, Thermos or Think Baby Sippy cups?? Those are the three that I have in my house.
I’ve heard that the Safe Sippy tested clean but I never saw any reports on it. It was third hand that I heard it. I haven’t heard of any testing results for the others.
We have several of these cups and have been using them for more than 2 years. Also, we have been using the inner bottle directly; while eating meals too, sadly! So there are chances that my child has been consuming the lead that might be coming off from the writing.
Green Sprouts never mentioned that the inside bottle should not come in direct contact with kids as it can have lead more than the permissible number of 90 ppm. How can they sell a product with such a high amount of lead without any warning?
The consumers have been buying these because they want safe and non-toxic options for their kids. If the company spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on testing and quality control to ensure that our products are safe for babies – then how come they never tested the bottle for lead?
Thank you for sharing! It’s good to know that people are using these as glasses as well! I do hope the CPSC and Green Sprouts reads these comments to understand how serious this is.
This is despicable. They need a recall at least, ASAP. I Bought this for my granddaughter. Luckily we haven’t used it much.
Very disappointed.
Very very disappointing. Tested mine with a swab and sure enough red! How can a company that prides itself on being green not make sure there is no lead in its products? Does iPlay even know what is going on in China to make these? Unacceptable.
So disappointed. We’ve purchased MORE than one of these exact cups for the intentional “peace of mind” and it’s the only cup we use for our 13 month old. We did so much research and put so much faith into this company. We’ve even recommended this cup to friends who trust our decisions.
I am SO angry and disappointed at Green Sprouts. I have 2, and these were my sons only sippy cups and we have used them for 1+ year. I like most others who have posted intentionally researched the least toxic sippy cup option, and then spread the word to all of my friends. It shouldn’t be this difficult to keep a known neurotoxin out of your child’s body.
I will never purchase another Green Sprouts product.
I have own 6-7 of these cups (1 that broke), and haven’t used them for about a year/year and a half. We ran them in the dishwasher with other baby items as well as dishes, utensils, etc. I’m extremely concerned as Tamara agreed that that contamination could occur and my child (and our family) were potentially eating off contaminated dishes and utensils and drinking from contaminated glasses. I’m outraged that something as unnecessary as lead-paint on a child’s sippy cup may have caused brain damage. I fully expect a recall/reimbursement and accountability to be taken for this.
As far as I am aware, XRF is only accurate in amounts that are over one gram (about 1/4 teaspoon sample size – I would imagine that the lettering on these cups is significantly less than that). Additionally, it is important to know the chemical composition of materials tested as there are certain elements that interfere with the accuracy of XRF results. However, I am not an expert and can only go by what I have been told by an XRF certified electrical engineer and materials testing company.
Charlotte- XRF findings aside, it’s not a coincidence that so many are testing positive for lead with lead swabs, which means the amt is still at 600 or above. Mine was bright red. 100% unacceptable.
This makes me sick! This cup was not cheap and I thought the design was brilliant. I want a refund and now makes me question all things!
This is so disheartening. I really believed in the Green Sprouts brand. We have three of these and we have recommended this sippy cup to countless friends. I hope this company makes it up to their customers.
We have two of these from a couple years ago that thankfully had no paint on the inner glass. Relieved in that aspect, outraged in general. And can we please talk about the cadmium in the silicone sippy parts?! Ugh!!! My son chewed through one over time while he was teething, now tell me he didn’t ingest cadmium from that! Disgraceful! You try so hard to do the right thing as a parent, research til you’re bleary eyed and this is what the “best” option looks like. So tired of this!!
Keep me posted. I just bought this cup last week and like it. Is there a special soap I can use to remove the lead paint?
This is so disheartening! I thought I was buying a “safer” cup for my baby! I have recommended this product to hundreds of moms through my YouTube channel & social media. I will be testing our cup myself & updating them to my findings. It’s so frustrating that moms have such a hard time trusting brands & for this very reason!
I tested mine and thankfully it came back negative. However, I don’t know that I would purchase from Green Sprouts going forward. Here’s our test is anyone is interested: https://youtu.be/2IfAPjIdTIU
I’m so upset by this. It’s heartbreaking to think of all the kids and babies whose parents try so hard to avoid exposure to toxins, drinking out of and playing with this cup, having it washed with sponges and in the dishwasher, and very likely being exposed to LEAD of all things. 🙁 I have had this cup for only a month, thankfully, but my 6-month old loved it and I washed it in the dishwasher a few times already. “Green” Sprouts should be ashamed of themselves. Thank you for the very important information on this blog!
Thank you so much for bring this to light. I have two of these cups and my 20 month old son drinks out of these all the time. I got a lead kit from home depot to test the paint on my cups and the tests came positive. I am thoroughly disappointed with this brand. I thought glass would be better than plastic.
Is there a non toxic water bottle/sippy cup I can use for my child?
I do not own this specific cup but as a green lifestyle advocate and writer I have recommended Green Sprouts products to moms in the past who are looking for safe alternatives to traditional items. No longer.
We do own several Green Sprouts toys that my own kids play with. Not only am I concerned that a Green Sprouts manufacturer is possibly contaminating items with lead but WHY is there CADMIUM in the parts the kids drink from? It is completely unnecessary and cadmium free brands are available. I am now concerned that the kids items I own from Green Sprouts may test negative for lead but test positive for Cadmium.
Green Sprouts: You need to do better. Issue a recall for this cup and have your remaining product lines tested for lead and cadmium and re formulate to eliminate it.
I am so devastated to find this to be true!! I literally just tested my Green Sprouts Sippy Cup and sure enough it IS positive for lead!! I have so many different Green Sprouts products and this makes me very concerned and worried about all of them!! I hope and pray that Green Sprouts recalls all of these immediately and produces a truly non toxic, safe, NO lead, PVC, BPA, Phthalates, or Cadmium sippy cup!! Green Sprouts please do right by all these children and parents-your customers!
We actually have several Green Sprouts toys and several sippy cups. My daughter plays with the stacking cups in her bath! I will not be purchasing from Green Sprouts/iPlay again and I will throw away whatever I have in my house. She is going to be so upset about the bath toys. In my opinion Green Sprouts can’t be trusted. Thanks for testing Shannon!
Thank you for these results. I learned about this issue today after having used this cup for over a year.
This is an absolute SHAME. We own and have trusted many Green Sprouts products in our home (we have invested a small fortune in sippy/straw/learning cups, toy boats, stacking cups, silicone teethers, sprout ware snack cups, feeding spoons and also have iPlay hats and swim wear).
I only purchased this $20 cup (and later a replacement glass insert, as the first one was broken) after reading your companies safety claims and deeming this was the best option for my child. I am hestitant to continue using any Green Sprouts products in my home or purchase any more.
This is used to describe this item on your website: “made without the use of toxic resins/plasticizers to protect against hazardous developmental effects.”
https://iplaybaby.com/health-safety
A recall needs to be issued so that customers are aware of the safety issue with this product and can receive a refund or replacement.
Thank you for sharing this. I am completely appalled and frustrated that a company like Green Sprouts would allow this. There has to be better oversight, especially with children’s products. We have been using this sippy cup for my 19 month for the past 6 months. I tested our cups as soon as I read this post and it did test positive.
I’m a toxics reduction specialist for the govt. and thought I was making an informed decision by purchasing this product since they claimed third party testing. Please keep us updated as to what Green Sprouts actions are next.
Completely disappointed in Green Sprouts. I purchased our cup through amazon. What a waste of my money.
I am so thoroughly disgusted by this revelation. The people who buy this product are the type of people who have gone out of their way to research safety. What good is BPA free when it isn’t lead or cadmium free?? I’m sick to my stomach that my daughter has been exclusively using these cups for over a year, and humiliated that I have recommended these to several moms who trust my opinion. I feel like I’ve not only poisoned my child but my friends’ children as well. I will never buy something from this brand again.
Hello,
If I understand correctly, the bottles with pink writing on them are not necessarily lead?
I had 2 with pink writing that are intact after 2 years, and 1 that had white writing that came off after a few months of washing. I’m so sick over this, as I’d soak all the bottle parts in a bowl of soapy water before washing. Taking my child to get blood draw later today…. Very disappointed in green sprouts brand, those were my daughters favorite bottles
I am so dismayed to learn of this, especially considering my toddler tested positive for lead in his system and he’s been using 3 of these cups daily for over a year. : ( Since there is nothing I can do about that at this point other than stop using them, I hope I am at least able to get a refund to help fund replacements. So incredibly bummed. I thought I was doing the right thing by providing glass for my son to drink out of instead of plastic.
My heart is broken. My son has been using these zippy cups since he was 6 months old now 14 months. I have five of these two at grandmas house and three at my house and just ordered the lead test. Thank you for sharing this important discovery. Do you know if we Can we return these cups for something else or file a complaint? I am already returning one just bought last month back to Amazon.
My stomach just dropped. Been using 3 of these in rotation for well over a year for our now 2 year old. Alarmed, dismayed, mortified. Discontinuing use today and looking for replacements. Also will write iplay directly but please keep all the mamas posted on any developments.
Ladies, I bought 2 in the past year from Amazon. How do we return them? I am so upset, and I refuse to pay $40 for something super toxic for my precious baby!!
Wonderful! So now what? What do we do to get refunded as part of the recall?
Love that the concerns of many parents were heard!
I love it too! We’ll have to stay turned for details of the recall. It takes a few weeks to get info out from what I understand.
Ugh, I’m furious! We have 5 of these. FIVE. My son has been using them for almost two years. The writing has eventually worn off all of the glass cups from going through the dishwasher… and probably spreading all over the other dishes we eat. On the hunt yet again for a responsible company….
Really disturbing and sad to know a company can make products which can hurt tiny humans!! Thanks for taking the time and effort to test and keep everyone informed.
I’m beyond angry. We have three cups and this is the only cup my 2 year old son uses. Appalled that a green company would be so negligent. Thank you so much Natural Baby Mama for bringing this to the attention of unsuspecting mamas.
This is so upsettting. Not wanting to expose my kids to plastic gasing in their drinks I bought these. From the point my kids stopped breastfeeding they have used nothing but these cups. We have 6 and we loved them but his is just wrong. 5 of ours the paint has been removed by washing. 1 of them has been washed a lot but the paint hasn’t fallen off. I tested them all for lead today. The one with the paint tested positive. It has he white paint and was ordered directly from iplay when one of our inserts fell out of the dishwasher.
So upset protecting my kids from bpa, bps, plastic has resulted in possible lead exposure. Dr said if we confirmed lead in our cups we would probably need a lead test. My kids seem healthy but this is bull.
I’m sorry to hear this. It is so upsetting. I agree with your doctor, I would get my kids tested for lead.
I had loved this cup and was actually going online this weekend to order another one and that is when my husband saw all of the new Amazon 1 star reviews talking about it. I am glad he is such a researcher as I never would have noticed those reviews and would have bought more! Super disappointed this was our favorite cup and my daughters too.
Glad to hear people are reviewing so others can become aware!
I purchased 2 of these cups because I liked that the portion where the liquid goes is glass. My daughter loves them and they are the only thing she drinks her water out of. Even if this lead printing material doesn’t come into contact with the contents, it has no place on a child’s product. Please reformulate ASAP. Until then, these are going in the garbage and we will find something else.
I would hold on to them incase they recall… in a place where they can’t be touched!
I’m shocked and appalled to hear this news, and even more upset that Green Sprouts decided not to go through with the recall. Initially, I was so happy to find a glass straw cup like this and my kid used these all the time. The fact that I could have caused my son to have permanent brain damage due to the neurotoxins in lead is beyond upsetting. I no longer trust any Green Sprouts products anymore and will tell all my friends that they don’t stand behind the safety of their products. Thanks Natural Baby Mama for sharing this!
If you have these bottles, like I do, please call their customer service number and let them know your concern. They took down my contact info and promised to contact me as their investigation with the CPSC progressed. They also offered to send me replacement bottles if I wanted.
https://iplaybaby.com/greensprouts
1-800-876-1574
M-F 8:30-5 EST
I’m beyond angry with Green Sprouts because I took great care to do research on finding this sippy cup for my toddler. I was willing to pay a premium for a product I thought was safe and bought two. I use one for water and one for milk and my toddler has been drinking out of them for over a year!
I have been hand washing them so the writing hasn’t come off but the brush used to clean the glass certainly touched the writing then the inside of the glass (the brush is in the garbage now!) but my concern is whether that would be enough to contaminate his drinks especially if the writing hasn’t fade?
He also likes his milk warm so the glass has been heated up in a warmer and a microwave. Would the heating release the lead into the drink?
Why would a company that pride themselves over quality and being “green” approve the use of lead on any children’s products? If it wasn’t an intentional decision at first, the fact that they retracted their recall because they “technically” didn’t break any law proves they are willing to risk the health and safety of children over their bottom line! This business model is not going keep you in business for long especially when you’re dealing with angry parents!
If the writing is still intact I don’t think there is a huge reason for concern. However, the levels that we saw testing are above what is allowed and that is concerning to me. If I had this in my house I wouldn’t be using it with my kids, but that’s just my level of comfort.
I definitely threw the bottles out and will never purchase anything from Green Sprouts or iPlay Inc. ever again!
Should I be concerned that they were heated?
You heated the entire sippy cup?
Thank you for doing this test! It just goes to show you that you can’t trust any company. You have to make sure to do your own research!
I do have a question though…I am frustrated as well and grieved about the company doing this (I don’t think they were aware and now seem to be trying to figure out how to maneuver this situation with direction from the wrong sources) but is it possible to wear some gloves and remove the paint myself with a razor blade to make it safe? I do really like these cups, my son likes these cups, there doesn’t seem to be a good alternate option, and I paid a lot of money to just throw these out! Would that resolve the issue or would there still be lead residue?
Please don’t remove the paint yourself! If yours has lead, and if you scrape it off, you will be creating lead dust.
I’m so disappointed. We researched and bought this exact cup, also from Amazon. My daughter drinks from it everyday. She didn’t come into contact with the glass, as of yet, but I do when I wash it.
I will be searching for an alternative cup today. After all the time spent and high cost of the cup I would really appreciate a recall. The cup does not need markings on the glass, hopefully Green Sprouts has decided to remove the lead lettering.
Thank you for testing and sharing this post.
This is so sad AND frustrating! I justified the ridiculous price because I thought it was a safer alternative for my son! It is his most prized possession and is currently holding it as I write this. Now I get to break his heart and take it from him. This is so irresponsible of the company to put children in harms way!
This is terrible! I’ve had at least 3 of these cups since my now 3 1/2 year old was 6 month and she uses it daily! Not to mention that I come in contact with the glass portion everyday when I hand wash it and just had my second baby so all those months of being pregnant I was handling a product with lead in it. 🙁
This breaks my heart. I’ve been using this for my daughter for more than a year now. I have recommended this to all my family and friends thinking it’s the best and safest. For the price we pay for this it’s very disappointing. We are really gonna exclude China made items even if it’s one of the best brands.
I am so upset after reading this. My daughter has been using this sippy cup for almost a year and a half, she is 2 now. How would we know the cadmium levels in other silicon straws and nipples? The greensprouts website only stated glass and silicon came in contact with liquids! This is so unsettling I don’t know what to trust anymore!
It is very upsetting. They are offering to replace the glass portion with a unpainted glass insert. I am testing some more silicone this go around. I will have the results up on my blog soon.
I try so hard doing extensive research on quality products for my daughter, that this seriously makes me cry…. I feel I have failed her! I am instantly going to throw hers away… I can’t believe we have been using these since she was 6 months old!!! Now I am second guessing everything I thought we have is safe for her! Ugh, this makes me sick!
They will replace the glass insert with a new glass insert. I’m not sure if they are offering refunds. You should contact them before throwing away 🙂
I am sooooo enraged with Green Sprouts and sooo terrified now of what I have been doing to my daughter for the last year and 1/2! We have been using these cups since she was 6 months old and she is now 2! As we hand wash all our dishes, I am even more concerned than most. The writing has practically all worn off on all our cups, and so that lead HAS been consumed. I generally wash all my daughters cups, silverware, and plates first in a bucket, before washing the rest of the dishes. So that lead came off in the bucket with all of her eating utensils!!!! I am going to have my daughter tested for lead levels and if she has lead, I am going after Green Sprouts for their negligence!
Thank you so much for exposing this! I’m disgusted and furious. My son has been using 2 of these exclusively since he was 6 months old. To pay a premium price in order to ensure that you’re keeping your child safe from toxins, all to find out that a company could be so negligent (while capitalizing on people’s fears and concerns)… It’s just beyond unacceptable. I wrote an amazon review revealing my results (positive for lead). I spoke with my local Wholefoods buyer and they are no longer stocking these sippy cups (yay Wholefoods). I urge everyone affected to hit this company where it hurts them most; spread the word; don’t let them get away with this!! The right thing to do would have been to recall (and refund). Period. Sending replacement bottles to families who’ve potentially exposed their babies and toddlers to lead and cadmium because they trusted this company is an offensive and unacceptable response to such negligence!
PLEASE parents: have your children’s blood lead levels checked if they ever used this cup. Our pediatrician strongly recommended this. Also, test the inside of your glass cups for lead. Our’s tested POSITIVE (meaning that our little boy consumed lead from this product, multiple times a day for the last year). Perhaps the lead paint comes off and is distributed to other areas of this product over time, with repeat washing.
I just spoke with Green Sprouts about this issue this morning, and urged them to deal with this issue in a transparent and proactive manner, including notifying parents of the potential for lead to spread to other areas of the product. The manager simply parroted what seemed like a script – that their product was found to be safe and that the company does not believe any further steps are necessary. When I asked her why the notice to parents about this issue has been removed from the front page of their website, I was told the company believes it has already been transparent enough.
I will NEVER buy from this company again. Dishonest and dangerous.
Thank you for your comment. Were you son’s lead levels elevated? Thank you for the info on testing the inside of the cup too. This is a huge concern.
What about the 8 oz. larger Green Sprouts straw cup that contains the measurement right on the plastic portion? Has there been any testing done on those to prove if they are safe?
oh, good question. I have not seen testing on that.
Hello, I stumbled across this now and can see from the date it was a few years ago. I panicked when reading the information as we have been using the sippy cup now for 6months plus. I then saw that it was the painted measurement scale that used to be on the glass. The glass is now plain. Would you now consider it safe? I just want to be sure I have understood.
Yes, if you have the plain glass then it is totally safe!
Hello, thank you for the update. Have you tested the cup recently? There is no markings on the glass, it is now on the outside plastic but I wonder if it’s lead free now. Do you know if it’s been tested for cadmium recently as well?
Thank you!
Hi, yes now that the paint is off it is lead-free. That was the only issue with the cup. I haven’t seen any cadmium testing recently though, sorry.
Hello,
I’m trying to receive replacement glass inserts and I’ve emailed the company and they haven’t replied. Any suggestions on how to get these replaced? I have nine of them that I used for my son prior to this issue coming to light and I want to now use them for my daughter instead of buying all new ones. Makes me feel sick to my stomach that I used these for so long with my son and washed them in the dishes countless times to the point the paint is now worn and faint 😢.
I’m sorry to hear that. I would keep emailing or calling them to see if you can get them replaced. You can purchase replacement glass but I am assuming you would like them to exchange them instead. In my Sippy Cup post, you can find info on purchasing the replacement glass: https://naturalbabymama.com/the-best-non-toxic-sippy-cups-and-alternatives/
It’s now 2021 and GreenSprouts just lost another customer because of this…I will never buy or trust products from a company who found this acceptable. Shameful.