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New legislation will soon be enforced to minimize Canadian children’s exposure to toxic metals in jewellery. The limits for both lead and cadmium in children’s jewellery have tightened under an update to the Children’s Jewellery Regulations and the new Consumer Products Containing Lead Regulations from Health Canada.
Both metals are considered harmful even in small quantities, particularly if children put products containing them in their mouths. Accordingly, the limit for lead content in children’s jewellery has dropped from 600 mg/kg to 90 mg/kg, and a cadmium level restriction of 130 mg/kg has also been introduced.
“Canada has some of the strictest lead regulations in the world for children’s products,” said Ginette Petitpas Taylor, minister of health. “I am proud to say these regulations, which also introduce limits for cadmium in children’s jewellery, go even further to protect our children from the risks of these toxic metals.”
In addition to jewellery, the new lead restrictions also apply to children’s toys, clothing, accessories, and other products. Both sets of rules will begin to be enforced on November 2.
The “new laws” are not “new”, they are merely another refinement of an existing law … which has been, and still is, almost totally ignored by importers, wholesalers and retailers because they are not, and never have been, enforced at any of the points of entry..
This was made very evident years ago, when the “laws” were first introduced. Various TV news shows, like 60 minutes, sent young girls into various stores in Toronto. They all came out with costume pieces that massively exceeded the deadly material limits..
Toxic metal jewellery is still easily found everywhere … in major department stores as well as in gift and “craft” stores.
Nor has there been any concerted effort to enforce the existing and long standing Precious Metals Marketing Act.
For example, “gold plated” chains that are tagged “gold filled” proliferate … and quality marks without any trademark abound.
However …. there is a light glimmering at the end of the tunnel !
Many federal employees will no longer be needed for drug enforcement (we didn’t just surrender to the enemy, we lost the war on drugs, thanks to Fuddle Duddle Jr.) and they will be available to monitor and enforce this potentially lucrative field.
What a simple problem we have and what ineptitude our government is displaying. The importers must be laughing their heads off at us.