The enviro campaign against the periodic table moves on to “toxic” jewelry.
The Washington Post reports,
More than a dozen of the most popular retailers have stopped selling jewelry that contains more than trace levels of a toxic metal called cadmium, accepting a new standard that consumer advocates say is tougher than the one endorsed by Washington.
Under the terms of a legal settlement reached in California, the retail chains — including trendy Target, high-end Saks and teen favorites such as Gap, Aeropostale, Wet Seal and Forever 21 — instructed their suppliers to limit the cadmium levels in jewelry.
The settlements kicked in Dec. 31, just weeks after the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said it was satisfied with an alternative voluntary approach that the industry helped craft for jewelry marketed to children using the government’s scientific research. There is no federally endorsed standard for adult jewelry.
While high-profile recalls of lead-laden toys and jewelry have captured the national spotlight in recent years, cadmium is emerging as the next big threat along the periodic table. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that cadmium can damage the bones and multiple organs. The government has identified it as a known carcinogen that stays in the body for years and accumulates. In jewelry, it’s often used because it’s a cheap, soft metal that melts easily at low temperatures…
I’m on my third baby. Please do not rely on common sense for adults when predicting the actions of very very young children. You might think after you painted the room, nobody would peel the paper and paint off of the wallboards [it happened]. Nobody would try to shampoo their hair with poop [it happened and it was a type of poo just not the sham]. They are exploring the world for the first time and EVERYTHING is new like they were aliens. So please do not use expect with babies and young toddlers.
Yeah, I know “De Gustibus…”…
Unlike Lead, there doesn’t seem to be evidence that Cadmium tastes sweet.
We should not expect people/children to chew/suck-on things containing Cd.
They’re going after those chocolate Easter Eggs with the gooey filling now? 😉
I am not concerned about adult jewelry here. But if the Grandparents find something cute for my 6 month old daughter or she decides to suck on a bracelet while being held it can be an issue. I would prefer labling so I can make a choice for what my daughter gets exposed to. I trust most adults to make a wise decision for themselves but a 6 month old will put ANYTHING that they come into contact with into their mouths. I am not a freaky chemophobe, just a dad.
So, just how many diagnoses of Cd poisoning from jewelery have there been? The WaPO article had no such information. Build a fence around Kalifornia lest they contaminate the rest of us.
Just wait until they look at Be