(Inhabitat) Fidget spinners are having a moment – practically everywhere you go someone has one twirling on a fingertip or tucked into a pocket. But environmental activist Tamara Rubin recently tested a variety of spinners for lead and mercury, and the results will shock you.
Rubin, an independent lead poisoning prevention advocate, first tested three fidget spinners sent to her by a friend with an XRF instrument. Two were lead-free, but one had very high levels of lead and some mercury. She then disassembled a fidget spinner with LED lights and found both lead and mercury. She found 19,000 parts per million (ppm) of lead and 1,000 ppm of mercury.