Lead in Children’s Jewelry
Lead
is a potent neurotoxicant, particularly for children. The adverse health
effects of lead range from subtle deficits such as learning and behavioral
problems to frank mental retardation and, in rare cases, death. Many children are exposed to lead through
normal hand to mouth activity such as chewing or mouthing nonfood items.
The
experience of a little boy in state of Oregon,
USA
led to a national recall of 1.4 million potentially toxic toys by the United
States Consumer Product Safety Commission.[1] The child swallowed a small medallion
necklace purchased from a toy vending machine with a lead content of 39%. His blood lead level was 123 mg/dL at the time he was
diagnosed. Health department workers
found similar medallions for sale with high concentrations of lead ranging from
37-44%.[i]
In
the 3 years following this recall the CPSC issued an additional 12 voluntary
recalls of children’s jewelry that contained lead. The 12th recall
was issued following the death of a 4 year old boy from acute lead poisoning
caused by lead encephalopathy after the ingestion of a heart-shaped metallic
charm whose inner core was >99% lead.
The child’s blood lead level was 180 mg/dL
at the time he was diagnosed. Several
similar charms purchased across the country and on the internet had lead
contents that varied from 67% lead by weight to 0.004% lead by weight.[ii] The variation in lead content in these
samples is consistent with previous test results for small, inexpensive
metallic jewelry.[iii]
The
US CPSC issued an enforcement policy in 2005 that specifically addressed the
lead hazard in children’s metal jewelry. The policy gave manufacturers
and importers an incentive (avoidance of CPSC enforcement actions) to reduce
the total lead content of every component below 600 parts per million.
This
case illustrates the difficulty in identifying hazardous products once they are
brought to market. The fact that some charms tested had minimal lead content
demonstrates the availability of reasonable
alternatives to lead. Recalls can
effectively remove specific products from retailers and consumers and increase
public awareness, but to protect children from potentially hazardous exposures
to lead, manufacturers and importers should eliminate the use of lead that may
be accessible to children from products used in or around households, schools,
or in recreation.
[1] CPSC authorities
to address lead: Under the FHSA, 15 U.S.C 1261 (f) (1) which is
administered and enforced by the CPSC, household products that expose children
to hazardous quantities of lead (or any other toxicant) under reasonably
foreseeable conditions of handling or use are “hazardous substances.” A
toy or other article intended for use by children which contains a hazardous
substance that is accessible for children is automatically banned. 15 U.S.
C. 1261 (q). By regulation, the Commission has banned toys and other
articles intended for use by children that uses paint with a lead content
in excess of 600 parts per million because of the risk of lead poisoning
(16 CFR Part 1303).
[i] CDC. Brief Report: Lead poisoning
from ingestion of a toy necklace—Oregon,
2003.MMWR 2004;53:509-511.
[ii] CDC.Death of a child after
ingestion of a metallic charm—Minnesota,
2006. 2006:55;340-341.
[iii] Maas RP, Patch
SC, Pandolfo TJ, Druhan JL, Gandy NF.
Lead Content and exposure from children’s and adults’ jewelry products. Bull
Environ Contam Toxicol 2005;74:437-444.
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