Toxic lead levels found in kids’ jewelry
\n03\/08\/2006
\nThe Asahi Shimbun<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Cheap metal accessories that have flooded the country in recent years contain high levels of lead that pose health risks if swallowed or continuously sucked on by children, Tokyo metropolitan government officials say.<\/p>\n
When exposed to acid similar to digestive gastric juices, some of the accessories released as much as 56 times the amount of lead allowed by U.S. safety standards, they said.<\/p>\n
Lead is a highly toxic metal that can cause brain damage, especially in young children.<\/p>\n
Based on its test results, the Tokyo metropolitan government urged the state Monday to legally regulate the jewelry and warn consumers.<\/p>\n
Tokyo’s research covered 76 items, including rings, necklaces, brooches, earrings and cellphone straps.<\/p>\n
The trinkets sell for around 100 yen to 1,000 yen at supermarkets and “100-yen shops.”<\/p>\n
The tests found that 46 items, or about 60 percent of those tested, contained more lead than the U.S. safety limit of 0.06 percent.<\/p>\n
The accessories were mostly imports from China, South Korea and Taiwan, officials said.<\/p>\n
In 32 of the items, the lead content was higher than 50 percent–more than 800 times allowed in the United States.<\/p>\n
When 21 items with high lead contents were given acid extraction tests similar to the effect stomach juices would have, 14 exceeded the U.S. criteria.<\/p>\n
One brooch released 9,900 micrograms, 56 times the 175-microgram maximum level set by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the officials said.<\/p>\n
U.S. safety standards for children’s metal jewelry were established in February 2005.<\/p>\n
There have been cases reported in the United States of children suffering growth retardation and other problems after accidentally swallowing metal jewelry.<\/p>\n
Japan has safety regulations regarding lead in food and tableware, but not accessories.<\/p>\n
The Tokyo metropolitan government has also asked industry groups to ensure the safety of such accessories.(IHT\/Asahi: March 8,2006)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Toxic lead levels found in kids’ jewelry 03\/08\/2006 The Asahi Shimbun Cheap metal accessories that have flooded the country in recent years contain high levels of lead that pose health risks if swallowed or continuously sucked on by children, Tokyo metropolitan government officials say. When exposed to acid similar to digestive gastric juices, some of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[411],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n