After interacting with other lifestyle blogs focused on non-toxic products, we noticed some things that we would like to avoid on our site. So we thought it would be a good idea to start a code of ethics at Atom Score so you know more about our values.
We run an honest business that serves families and consumers. We explore topics involving heavy metals in consumer goods and advocate on behalf of the public. We are independent and unabashedly pro-consumer, pro-family, and pro-environmental stewardship.
We accept you. Let’s work together to build a better world. We don’t care who you vote for. We only discuss politics as it relates to regulatory work involving hazardous substances, consumer goods, or protecting the environment. We’re all in this together.
It’s a sliding scale. There are lots of toxic things in our lives. Some people avoid polyester due to microplastics. Some people avoid new pressed wood furniture because it can outgas. We all juggle our priorities in a way that makes sense for our families, and we learn more each day. We respect wherever you are on that scale.
Enjoy life. We try not to encourage worry. We understand there is no safe level of lead exposure. But we live in the real world and treating it like the sky is falling and everything is a threat to your child is not healthy. In fact, chronic stress can lead to negative health outcomes. If you find yourself suffering from worry, and discussion of lead and other hazardous materials causes fear, you may wish to step away from non-toxic lifestyle blogs for a while. Our business will never exploit people, especially those vulnerable to anxiety.
No drama. Some people use their social media presence to push drama, baseless controversy, or harass others. That’s not how we engage. We strive for harmony, education, and research. We encourage positive vibes and civil discourse.
We don’t overstate the science. We research heavy metals in consumer goods and consult reputable, evidence-based sources of information. We consult peer-reviewed journal articles, scientists, environmental and consumer advocacy groups, and government agencies. We do not support pseudoscience.
Our recommendations err on the side of caution. Sometimes due to new and ongoing scientific research, or our commitment to people and the environment, we do not recommend products that test high in lead. For instance, we avoid dishes that are glazed with lead-based colorants, even if the final products are leach tested per FDA standards. Dishes wear out, and lead-free and low-lead options are available. Furthermore, protecting humans and the planet from lead means revisiting the use of lead across industries and supply chains, wherever possible.
It’s free. We post our XRF testing summaries on our website for the public, at no added cost. We want families to have access to this information without cost barriers. If we do screen a product for a member of the public, we may charge a fee to the customer to offset our time and expenses.
We are honest with our readers about the limitations of XRF testing. We don’t state that field testing with a handheld XRF analyzer is perfect or as quantitative and replicable as lab testing in a controlled environment. We use XRF as a screening tool to help the public identify lead-free and low lead products.
That being said, XRF is still pretty awesome. Handheld XRF analysis is great for screening many different items without damaging them. That’s important when you need to know whether a 100-year-old heirloom has lead in its many custom parts. No one would suggest that a family haul off their stuff to a lab for expensive and destructive testing. Handheld XRF is also a useful screening tool to determine whether a child with elevated blood lead levels has been interacting with consumer goods that are high in lead. Outside of a health department, there aren’t many resources available to the public that do what we do.
We want to earn your support. We love what we do and we are trying to build a sustainable business and meet high equipment-related costs. If you want to support us, you can shop using our affiliate links or contact us to order XRF screening of an item. Anything you buy from Amazon starting with our links, even your typical day-to-day purchases, will net us a small commission that helps sustain our operations. We also plan to invest in some upgrades to the XRF instrument so it can isolate smaller samples and detect lighter elements, and every penny counts. We are thankful for your business!
We look out for everyone. Too many lifestyle groups focus on high-income individuals and their product preferences. We try to recommend decent products for all income levels, even if no affiliate link is involved.
We’re a small, minority-owned business run by a mom…and proud of it!