Stanley Cups Contain 'Some Lead'—Does That Make Them Dangerous to Use?
Fact checked by Nick Blackmer
Some social media users are drawing attention to the fact that lead—a toxic metal—is found in Stanley cups.
Stanley says their products do contain lead but that they’re still safe for use as long as they haven’t been damaged
Some experts say it’s worth buying a different water bottle if young children have access to your Stanley cup, since lead exposure is especially dangerous for kids.
Stanley tumblers are in the news once again—not because of their popularity on social media, but for the small amount of lead the cups contain.
Recently, TikTok users have been pointing out that the Stanley tumblers contain lead through using lead test kits, which has worried the many people who stay hydrated with the viral cups.
The company behind Stanley tumblers, Pacific Market International (PMI), is also now facing multiple lawsuits concerning the issue.
It's true that Stanley tumblers contain a small amount of lead. But PMI maintains that the cups are safe and that neither consumers nor what they drink ever come into contact with the lead.
“Rest assured that no lead is present on the surface of any Stanley product that comes into contact with the consumer nor the contents of the product,” Stanley wrote on its website. “Stanley assures that its products meet all US regulatory requirements.” (Health reached out to Stanley and PMI for additional comment, but did not hear back by the time of publication.)
However, a class action lawsuit filed in California by four women alleges that "PMI did not disclose its use of lead in manufacturing until January 2024," and that the company "marketed its products as safe for use by adults and children despite knowing they contain a toxic material."
The California suit was filed on February 1, and last week, similar lawsuits were filed against PMI in the U.S. District Court Western District of Washington.
Despite PMI's assurance that the cups are safe to use, it can be unsettling to know that something you may drink out of every day contains lead. Here’s what you need to know about the lead in Stanley tumblers, what happens when you get lead poisoning, and what to keep in mind if you’re looking for a new water bottle.
Amazon / Health
Do Stanley Tumblers Contain Lead?
In short, yes. According to a statement shared on Stanley’s website, the lead is used as part of the product’s vacuum insulation technology, which keeps drinks at their ideal temperature.
“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,” the company said. “Once sealed, this area is covered with a durable stainless steel layer, making it inaccessible to consumers.”
But it’s not just Stanley cups that contain small amounts of lead.
“We know products from other brands that use the same lead vacuum seal have been recalled in the past—some as recently as November of 2022—because the lead solder at the bottom of the cups became accessible,” said Olga Naidenko, PhD, the vice president for science investigations and research and development at the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit that investigates pollutants and chemicals in consumer products.
The news has also prompted other tumbler and water bottle makers to come out against the use of lead in products.
“There’s a lot of conversation happening right now around lead,” water bottle maker Hydro Flask shared on Instagram. “We want to assure you that Hydro Flask does not use lead in our vacuum sealing process. In fact, more than a decade ago we pioneered a new process that sealed our bottles without the use of lead.”
Related: How Often You Should Wash Your Reusable Bottle—Even If You Just Use It for Water
Why Is Lead So Dangerous?
Though lead is a naturally occurring element, it can be toxic to humans and animals. There is no safe amount of lead exposure, and children are especially vulnerable to the health effects of lead, since they absorb more lead than adults do when exposed, said Naidenko.
“Lead has negative effects on the developing brain, so it can cause intellectual problems and problems with school performance and behavior in children who have lead exposure during childhood,” Diane Calello, MD, executive and medical director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, told Health. “Generally, that happens as a result of deteriorating paint in their homes over a long period of time.”
Lead paint was used in homes often during the 1900s, Naidenko said, and homes built before 1978 may still contain lead paint.
Lead also used to be used more frequently in children’s toys, though the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 tightened government oversight of lead in toys and other products, Naidenko explained. “But old, antique, or collectible toys—and some toys made abroad—may still contain lead,” she added.
Adults can be exposed through occupational and environmental circumstances, too: When materials that contain lead are burned—for example, during smelting—those nearby may inhale lead particles. People can also be exposed to lead after drinking water from leaded pipes or ingesting lead-contaminated dust.
Products that are found to contain unsafe amounts of lead are generally recalled. For instance, Calello said, some cinnamon applesauce products were recently recalled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because they contained lead.
Lead exposure can result in serious health problems, such as high blood pressure and brain, kidney, and reproductive health issues.
Short-term exposure to lead could cause:
Headache
Abdominal pain
Colic
Vomiting
Anemia
Long-term exposure to lead could cause:
Irritability
Lethargy
Fatigue
Muscle aches
Muscle prickling
Muscle burning
Constipation
Difficulty concentrating
Muscular weakness
Tremor
Weight loss
It’s important to see a healthcare provider if you suspect you’ve been exposed to lead.
Related: How Much Water Should You Drink Each Day?
Does This Mean Stanley Cups are Dangerous to Use?
No—as long as the cup doesn’t sustain damage and it’s used as intended.
“It’s not immediately dangerous to life and health, just being in the vicinity [of lead],” said Calello. “If the cup is used properly, it should not pose a lead hazard.”
Stanley maintains this as well, assuring customers in their public statement that lead isn’t present on the surface of any Stanley cups and that it never comes into contact with the consumer or anything they may ingest.
To that end, the company said that the base cap of a product ever does come off—potentially making lead exposure possible by exposing the seal—the cup is eligible for a Lifetime Warranty to be replaced.
But some experts say young children may want to opt for other drinking vessels.
“When it comes to products that are used for or around young children, it is not worth taking chances with lead because it’s so toxic,” said Naidenko.
While you can drink out of your intact Stanley tumbler safely and without worry of lead poisoning, if you’re in the market for another, some experts recommend looking for an option that doesn’t use lead in its manufacturing process.
“We recommend that consumers look for water bottle options that don’t use lead in their products,” said Naidenko. “It’s unacceptable that people, especially young children, may be exposed to lead—a powerful neurotoxin—because of using a cup or any other consumer products, [and] we know the use of lead is avoidable based on…statements from manufacturers who find alternatives to lead for vacuum sealing their products.”
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