How much would you pay to have someone to come to your house to test toys and other products for lead and toxic chemicals?

A local company says if no one else will tell you what's in the products in your home, they'll do it for you.

Two months ago, this idea wasn't even on the radar. But when a local father couldn't find anyone to test the products in his house, he and his brother decided to take action.

When I tested toys and ceramics in September, then Halloween masks and costumes in October, I had the advantage of a scientist with an expensive x-ray gun called an XRF analyzer, which measures lead, cadmium and all sorts of toxic metals and chemicals in virtually anything.

The Washington Toxics Coalition uses it for research. But it's not in the home-testing business. As far as I could tell, no one was.

So Seth Goldberg and his brother decided to invest tens of thousands of dollars to buy their own XRF unit and go into business helping consumers like themselves find out what so many want to know.

"Our plan is to use technology to help let people know what's in their environment. It's that simple," Goldberg said.

Goldberg's brother designed a special software program that will let them record results with digital pictures of everything they test.

Home owners would get a complete print out with scientific explanations to help make informed decisions about the products they're using.

The cost?

"Our hourly costs are $125 for the first half hour and $50 for each additional half hour." said Goldberg.

Total cost depends on the number of items tested.

"A typical home is probably about $250 to $350. It could be much less. It could be much more. You could grab all your family and friends and throw a toy testing party. We'll stop by and do the test and you can split the cost," he said.

Goldberg says the hope is to eventually help influence change from the standpoint of reducing toxins in all consumer products and ultimately helping the environment.

Goldberg and his brother acknowledge they're taking a risk, but they believe in what they're doing and tell me so far people are interested in their service.

This weekend, Saturday December 15th and Sunday December 16th, they're doing free testing at various locations around King County.

I do need to tell you they were contacted to do this by Darcy Burner who's running for Congress, but they say they're not involved in her campaign and they're not taking money from anyone.

The data they collect will be compiled to help efforts to push for legislation to better regulate toxic chemicals in toys and other products used by children.

Goldberg emphasizes that only the product and the results are being compiled; consumer personal information is not being collected.

Free toy test locations:

Saturday, Dec. 15:

Puyallup Public Library
324 S. Meridian
9am -11am

Covington City Hall
16720 SE 271st Street
Noon - 2pm

Fairwood Library
17009 140th Ave SE, Renton
3pm-4:45pm

Island Park Elementary
5437 Island Crest Way, Mercer Island
6pm - 8pm

Sunday, Dec. 16:

Crossroads Bellevue Meeting Room
15600 NE 8th, Belleuve
11am - 1pm

Issaquah Library
10 W Sunset Way
2pm - 4pm

Redmond Regional Library
15810 NE 85th St.
5pm - 7pm

For more information:

Ess-Co Safety Check