Thousands of toddler sippy cups and bottles are recalled over lead poisoning risk

Green Sprouts, a maker of reusable baby products sold at chain retailers including Whole Foods and Bed Bath & Beyond, is recalling its stainless-steel cups and bottles over a lead poisoning hazard.

The voluntary recall, issued last week, affects about 10,500 units, according to an alert on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's website. The recall applies to the Green Sprouts 6-ounce Stainless Steel Sippy Cup, Sip & Straw Cup and its 8-ounce Stainless Steel Straw Bottle.

The bottom base of the products can break off, exposing a solder dot that contains lead, according to the CPSC. Lead is a toxic metal that can cause poisoning if ingested by children.

The CPSC said it had received seven reports of incidents of the base detaching and exposing the solder dot, but that no injuries have been reported.

Green Sprouts said it voluntarily recalled its products after it was made aware that the sippy cups and bottles contained lead.

"Testing of this component was omitted by the CPSC-approved third party lab because this part of the product is inaccessible under normal use," the company said on its website. "As we approach the redesign of these products, whose benefits for keeping drinks cold safely have made them a popular choice for parents, we will ensure that lead is not used as a soldering material."

The tracking codes printed at the bottom of the recalled products are 29218V06985, 35719V06985 and 33020V06985. They were sold between January 2020 and September 2022.

Most intentional uses of lead in products are banned in the U.S., according to the Food and Drug Administration, "including the use of lead solder to seal the external seams of metal cans." Due to lead's non-biodegradable nature, the metal can contaminate the food supply.

Lead is poisonous to all ages, but the metal is particularly harmful to children, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Lead exposure in children can cause a range of adverse health effects including developmental delays and learning disabilities.