Childrens Play Jewelry May Contain Dangerous Levels of Cadmium

Childrens Play Jewelry May Contain Dangerous Levels of Cadmium<br /><br />Recently, McDonalds ordered a recall of Shrek glasses which contained a small amount of the metal cadmium, which has been used in pigments and jewelry in the past. The reason this was done was that Cadmium is an extremely toxic substance, and for this reason has been slowly phased out of products in the United States. The Occupational Safety Health Administration, in the Department of Labor, has stated that even low amounts of cadmium are very toxic. Welders who have unknowingly began welding onto a surface containing cadmium have died, making cadmium a real workplace danger, especially when its presence is not known. Some batteries contain cadmium, and cadmium has been used in industrial paint, making the removal of such paint potentially dangerous for the worker. Cadmium is a known human carcinogen, meaning that exposure to cadmium can lead to the development of cancer in the exposed individual. Therefore, it is not surprising that McDonalds went ahead with the recall. Recently, the governor of Connecticut, M. Jodi Rell, signed legislation restricting the level of cadmium in childrens jewelry. However, this law wont take effect until 2014, and Connecticut is one of the first states to pass a law on cadmium content. Many parents are outraged that cadmium is present in any quantities in childrens jewelry. This is especially concerning as children are likely more sensitive to the poisonous effects of jewelry, and young toddlers may be prone to putting the jewelry in their mouths, thus increasing significant the level of exposure.<br /><br />Walmart was selling a line of Miley Cyrus jewelry that it knew contained cadmium for months until they were pulled. The cadmium was in high levels in charm bracelets and necklaces. In addition, Princess and the Frog pendants were removed when they were found to have high levels of cadmium. While cadmium was heavily used in the middle of the 20th Century, since the toxic effects have been known developed countries have been decreasing their use of the metal. Ironically, as Chinese manufacturers have been decreasing the amount of lead in childrens toys made in China, they have been replacing lead with cadmium, which is considered to be just as, and probably more toxic than lead. Chronic exposure to cadmium can negatively effect brain development in children. Manufacturers in China say that cadmium has been used for a long time there, apparently without the knowledge that the metal is very toxic and causes cancer.<br /><br />Though the fact that cadmium prices have fallen may have lead some Chinese manufacturers to turn a blind eye to the potentially devastating toxic effects. The level of cadmium in some of the childrens jewelry can be very high, almost a stunning 85% in some cases. And ingested jewelry can produce approximately 350 times the safe level of cadmium exposure for one year, meaning that any ingested jewelry containing cadmium may likely cause dangerous health effects in children. Most experts agree that children shouldnt be exposed to anything with any level of cadmium in it. has been caught, there may be many items of childrens jewelry which contain cadmium which have not been recalled. federal agencies. The Obama administration should step up and warn the public about this dangerous health threat. As the true scope of the threat is unknown, parents of young children should avoid buying them jewelry and should perhaps discard, or store out of the reach of children, any play jewelry that they have.<br /><br />Part time wordsmith, articles and novels. View profile<br /><br />Consumerism and the End of Natural ResourcesThis is a discussion about what is causing the depletion of our natural resources.