Expert Weighs in on Stanley Tumbler’s Lead Scare

As you likely already know, Stanley tumblers are trendy water bottles. They are so popular that the Valentine’s day limited edition version of the tumbler triggered physical confrontations and campouts at Target. They are often used as a fashion accessory and the company’s use of influencers on social media has caused huge sales of the tumblers. However, the manufacturer of the tumblers, Stanley, states on its website that the vacuum insulation technology that controls the contents of the cup at an ideal temperature is sealed with an industry standard pellet that contains some lead. However, according to the company, after the bottle is sealed, the manufacturer covers that portion with stainless steel rendering the lead inaccessible to those drinking from the tumbler, so there isn’t anything to worry about in terms of health hazards.

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Even so, a number of social media posts on YouTube, X, Reddit, Instagram, and TikTok have remarked on concerns that there is lead in the tumblers. There are also tumbler owners who used kits from home to test the lead; experts say those are not reliable. The lead discussion continues on Facebook, as well.

Recently, professor of public health Jack Caravanos who studies lead and is a global exposure expert assured the public that the Stanley cup is not dangerous to consumers. He tested the cups of different sizes using an X-ray fluorescence detector. This detector decides what the elements of the material are, and this one did not find superficial lead, even, on any part of the cup, Dr. Caravanos reports. He says that the danger to human health is negligible since your mouth isn’t going to go near the surface, and the lead won’t dissolve into the stainless steel. He was unable to deconstruct the tumbler to look at what’s beneath the stainless steel but wasn’t able to get that part open; this is a sign, he says, that lead material is highly unlikely to get out of the cup and become something that could be consumed.

Exposure to lead, it should be said, can lead to serious harm including learning disabilities, behavioral problems, central nervous system damage, and when at high levels, it can cause seizures, coma, and even death. Products that contain lead that are defectively designed, manufactured or marketed and therefore cause injuries may be the subject of a product liability lawsuit. These lawsuits are pursued for monetary compensation from the manufacturer. When our firm handles these cases, we may need to assert the manufacturer’s strict liability, negligence, breach of warranty or breach of contract to obtain a judgment or settlement. Compensatory damages may be awarded to a successful plaintiff; these damages include medical expenses, lost wages, out-of-pocket costs, costs for therapies or other treatments, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. In cases of egregious misconduct, it may be appropriate to pursue punitive damages.

If your child was harmed by exposure to a lead-containing product, you should discuss his or her injuries and what happened with the knowledgeable trial lawyers of Moll Law Group. We represent injured plaintiffs and grieving families across the country. Please give us a call at 312.462.1700 or complete our online form.