California AG Notifies 2 Retail Chains of Jewelry Found with High Lead Levels
The Center for Environmental Health has issued a press release announcing that the California Attorney General, acting on CEH’s findings, has notified Rainbow Apparel of America, Inc., owner of the national retail chains Rainbow and 5-7-9 stores, of extremely high levels of lead found in jewelry purchased from the stores in May 2010.
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Test Results Indicate Jewelry had High Lead Levels
CEH states that test results showed that a heart pendant on one adult piece was 97% lead, while a clasp on a piece labeled “Kids” and “Lead Free” was 87% lead.
According to CEH, 15 different metal jewelry pieces from Rainbow and 5-7-9 stores tested with lead levels between 57% and 97%, and one vinyl piece contained nearly 5 times the lead limit for plastics. This is the fourth time that CEH has found Rainbow in violation of the law on lead in jewelry in a little over a year.
The Attorney General’s letter to Rainbow warns of the consequences from the retailer’s jewelry, stating that “Some of the jewelry at issue here has components that would be highly toxic, and potentially lethal, if ingested, and all of it contains sufficient lead to contribute to long-term health risks.”
CEH Conducts Ongoing Lead Testing on Jewelry from California Retailers
CEH states that it conducts lead testing on jewelry it purchases from retailers across California. CEH is investigating jewelry for compliance with a legal agreement and with California law using a grant from the Proposition 65 Jewelry Testing Fund.
(See ITT’s Online Archives or 05/20/10 news, 10052028, for BP summary of CPSC’s issuance of an important CPSIA proposed rule on testing and labeling.
See ITT’s Online Archives or 04/12/10 news, 10041225, for BP summary of CPSC’s discussion regulating cadmium, feasibility of 100ppm lead limit.)
(Press release, dated 06/30/10)