Even high-end bling could contain unhealthy lead levels.

05-26-09 RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—The only danger many of us associate with jewelry is the risk of overaccessorizing, but it turns out that in certain cases, we should be concerned about our health, too. Some jewelry may be exposing people, including kids, to unhealthy levels of lead. Despite nationwide attempts in the past few years to curb the use of lead in jewelry, the Center for Environmental Health (CEH), an organization that works to protect people from toxic chemicals, recently announced it found high levels of the toxic metal in jewelry purchased just this year from four major retailers.

THE DETAILS: In 2006, California enacted the Lead-Containing Jewelry Law in order to set a limit on the levels of lead allowed in jewelry sold in the state. Children’s jewelry cannot contain more than 600 parts per million (ppm) of lead, while adult jewelry cannot contain more than 15,000 ppm. Any plastic components, even in adult products, must also meet the 600 ppm standard. The Center for Environmental Health, in collaboration with the California Attorney General, has been monitoring the jewelry and retail industries’ compliance with these standards since 2008 by purchasing hundreds of pieces of jewelry and testing them for lead. For their latest round of testing, the CEH purchased 50 to 60 items from four major retailers—Saks Fifth Avenue, Wet Seal, Express, and Styles for Less—then used an xray fluorescent analyzer to screen them. Any items found to have high lead levels were sent to an independent lab to determine the exact lead content. The results: Eight items had high levels of lead, including a $200 necklace from Saks that contained more than 175,000 ppm of lead.

WHAT IT MEANS: If the accepted wisdom was that only cheap jewelry contained lead, then the level found by the CEH in the piece from Saks is sure to dispel that myth. During the last decade, lead has become a common filler metal in jewelry, and is also found in some of the paints and coatings used on certain items. Even though the CEH tested only pieces of jewelry purchased in stores in California, “all of the retailers are national chains, so we expect the problem is widespread,” says Charles Margulis, Communications Director for the CEH. Margulis also points out that other state and local health organizations have run similar jewelry tests and found similar high levels of lead. The health risks of lead exposure in children have been well researched; lead damages children’s intellectual and behavioral development, leading to lower IQ tests, increased behavioral problems, and shorter attention spans. Studies have also found that lead exposure in pregnant women can have a lasting, possibly permanent effect on their child’s IQ. And the dangers aren’t limited to youngsters: Researchers have also found a link between lead exposure and an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure,
and ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Follow these guidelines to protect your children and yourself from toxic jewelry:

• Steer clear of items made from unknown metals. Familiar materials like gold, silver, and platinum are fine, but be cautious about buying products made of unidentified metals. If you’re buying for a child or someone who’s pregnant, play it safe and avoid any product whose composition isn’t identified.

• Don’t buy fake pearls. Especially avoid buying these for children. Many are coated with a pearlescent paint that often contains lead. Plus, they’re easy for kids to swallow.

• Avoid pieces with vinyl or plastic cords. Often found in children’s and teen jewelry, these materials can be sources of lead exposure.

• Don’t buy jewelry from vending machines. In 2004, 150 million pieces of children’s jewelry were recalled from vending machines around the country. Avoiding these machines is still a smart choice.

• Purchase an inexpensive lead testing kit and check your jewelry. The kits are easy to use and available in most hardware or paint stores. They’re great for ensuring the safety of items you wear or your child wears.