Three in 10 pieces of children’s jewelry tested by Health Canada for cadmium in the past year were made of as much as 93 per cent of the highly toxic metal, internal government test results show.
The Health Canada records, released exclusively to Postmedia News under access-to-information legislation, show 28 of 91 samples tested since last fall contained cadmium levels greater than Health Canada’s established limit of 107 mg/kg.
Cadmium is used as a substitute for lead in cheap imported jewelry.
None of the tested pieces were recalled for their elevated cadmium levels because, unlike lead, which is banned in children’s jewelry in Canada at levels exceeding 600 mg/kg or 0.06 per cent of the total weight, there is no set limit for cadmium in kids’ jewelry.
Of the 28 pieces with elevated levels of cadmium, Health Canada found that three of the pieces — moulded into cupcakes, ladybugs and foot pendants — were made of almost pure cadmium, ranging from 84 to 93 per cent cadmium.
http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Kids+jewelry+shows+high+levels+toxic+metal+cadmium+Health+Canada/3687511/story.html