Consumer chief warns: take cheap jewelry from children

And if they already have some, toss it because it could contain hazardous levels of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium.

Writing in a blog posting Wednesday evening, the chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission noted that children who chew, suck on or swallow a bracelet charm or necklace may be endangering their health.

“I have a message for parents, grandparents and caregivers: Do not allow young children to be given or to play with cheap metal jewelry, especially when they are unsupervised,” wrote Inez Tenenbaum, the chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

In making the recommendation, Tenenbaum cited an investigation by The Associated Press which reported high cadmium levels in kids' jewelry items imported from China including bracelet charms from Walmart and Claire's stores.

Lab tests conducted for the AP on 103 pieces of low-priced children's jewelry found 12 items with cadmium content above 10 percent of the total weight. Several of those shed very high amounts of the metal when analyzed for how much of the toxin a child might be exposed to after swallowing the item.

Like lead, cadmium can hinder brain development in young children, according to recent research. It also causes cancer.

While neither Tenenbaum nor an agency spokesman would outright say not to buy cheap children's jewelry, the inference was clear.

For items already in homes, “Parents should 'safely dispose' of the jewelry following state and local environmental laws, and not resell it through online auctions or to a thrift store,” CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson said.

Even during the height of product recalls from China several years ago — when millions of items of jewelry or painted toys with high lead levels were taken off store shelves — the CPSC did not issue such a public warning. Under the administration of President Barack Obama, and with Tenenbaum replacing commissioner Nancy Nord atop the agency, the CPSC is projecting a much more aggressive image.

Although it did not carry the force of law, the announcement Wednesday was far bigger than a recall in scope: Instead of going after one particular item, the CPSC targeted an entire industry.

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