State bans kids' jewelry containing lead
By Stephen Smith, Globe Staff
Massachusetts health regulators voted unanimously today to ban necklaces, rings, and other childhood trinkets that contain dangerous amounts of lead. The regulation on children's jewelry is believed to be the most stringent in the nation and reflects a desire to protect children from a substance that can cause long-term medical problems.
"Swallowing these jewelry items has caused serious injury and death," said Suzanne Condon, director of the state's Bureau of Environmental Health.
The regulation, approved by the Public Health Council, goes into effect in June and covers lead-containing jewelry sold in stores and through the Internet and catalogues. The sellers of such products will be required to keep on hand detailed information about the contents of the jewelry and to share it with state inspectors. Violators of the ban could face fines from $100 to $500.
For more on lead in toys, see this Globe story.
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Elizabeth Cooney is a former
health reporter for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, where she also was a
business reporter and an editor. Earlier in her career, she edited medical
books and journals at Little, Brown, and worked for Boston magazine.Boston Globe Health and Science staff:
- Gideon Gil, Health and Science Editor
- Ishani Ganguli, Short White Coat blogger
Hurray for Massachusetts! Now if we could get this country going on this. By the way I read the "health regulators" document and it appears that the fine could be $5,000.00 and that should be the least amount. All fines should be higher.
Why stop at jewelry? What about all those toys recalled this fall, particularly Aquadots, that are still on the store shelves? Only eight States ban the sale of recalled toys and Massachusetts is NOT one of them!!!
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