July 28, 2011

Details

Canada’s Health Minister has proposed an allowable limit of no more than 0.013 percent of total weight for cadmium in jewelry for children, after government tests revealed that pieces manufactured with the toxic chemical were sold in Canada.

Industry has until November to comment on the proposed guideline, after which formal regulations could follow.

The Health Minister has also vowed to quickly remove children's jewelry pieces known to contain cadmium from shelves, as soon as she has the power to do so.

Why It Matters

Cadmium, which is used as a cheap substitute for lead in inexpensive imported jewelry, is considered more harmful than lead if ingested through swallowing or prolonged licking or sucking of a jewelry piece. It is a known carcinogen and can also cause kidney damage.

Lead is already banned in Canada for use in children’s jewelry at levels exceeding 600 milligrams per kilogram or 0.06 per cent of the total weight.

How UL STR Can Help

Providing testing, inspection and audit services for children’s jewelry and children’s products, UL STR’s state-of-the-art facilities have the ability to customize testing programs to meet your specific performance criteria. Our chemical and analytical services include testing for cadmium, lead, phthalates, heavy metals, and toxins.

To learn more about how UL STR can help you achieve the highest standards of product safety and quality, submit the short form below. An UL STR representative will follow up with you soon.