Proposed new guidelines are in the works to restrict the use of cadmium in children’s jewellery.
Minister of Health Leona Aglukkaq announced last week the guidelines would limit total cadmium concentration to 130 parts per million or 0.013 per cent. Previously, there was no guideline regarding the toxic material.
“With the new Canada Consumer Product Safety Act now in place, the law is clear consumer products that pose a danger to human health or safety may not be manufactured, distributed, imported, or sold in Canada,” Aglukkaq said.
The Canadian Jewellers Association (CJA) welcomed the announcement.
“[The association] has been pleased to be an active participant in working with the government on this topic and will continue to offer our support on this and future initiatives involved with the safety of jewellery in Canada,” it said in a news release.
“We find ourselves against not only the use of cadmium in children’s jewellery, but also its use in any other form of jewellery products. The assurance of safe products being sold to Canadian citizens is paramount. The CJA and our members have been very active presenting our views and communicating to the health ministry on this matter.”
Last October, the ministry appealed to the industry to voluntarily stop production and sale of items containing cadmium. The use of cadmium came to the fore after the United States and other countries cracked down on manufacturers substituting the cancer-causing material for lead, which is also toxic.
