Congresswoman Takes Aim at Toxic Childrens' Products
Looking to better protect children against toxic metals, San Francisco and Peninsula Congresswoman Jackie Speier introduced legislation Thursday that requires tougher regulation four heavy metals, including cadmium, in kids products.
Last month McDonalds was forced to recall some 12 million glasses designed to promote the latest Shrek movie. The enamel on the glasses contained cadmium, which can cause developmental problems in kids, even death.
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Speier proposes setting strict limits on the amount allowed on kids products. Currently, there are only federal cadmium limits on toys, but not on child-related products such as cheap jewelry or child-oriented dishware.
"Once lead was banned, countries like China started using cadmium in those same products and that's what we've got to be aware of," Speier said.
" Children's jewelry does not have the same standard as childrens' toys, and there's one case where a child ingested a piece of jewelry, and in the autopsy it was discovered that indeed that child died from the ingestion of cadmium."
The legislation requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to provide an annual report to Congress on enforcement, including any criminal and civil penalties levied for violations of the toxic metal standards.
Meanwhile the Toy Industry Association tells KCBS that it is working with other children's product industries to come up with its own limits on these metals.
