In the autumn of 2010, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) became aware that various children's toys and jewelry sold in the U.S. contained the toxic substance cadmium. However, despite the agency's vocalized commitment to keep these potentially unsafe products out of American stores, homes and schools, little has been done in the past two years to address the problem.

According to results of an investigation conducted by the Associated Press, the CPSC has both failed to educate parents about what potentially toxic items might already be present in their homes and has failed to recall many of the toxic children's products known to be tainted with cadmium.

As the CPSC learned in 2010, many Chinese factories had begun substituting cadmium in their products for lead, which has been banned in children's products in the U.S. However, the extent of the manufacturing issue is still unknown and cadmium-laced products are still available for sale across the nation. For example, the AP purchased contaminated children's jewelry this past year in California, New York and Ohio.

Frustratingly, recalls have not been actively pursued because many of the products identified as containing cadmium do not qualify as children's products under the law. The CPSC has maintained this position despite the fact that many of these tainted products are marketed for children. For example, one tainted item remaining on store shelves is called a baby bracelet. This bracelet is hazardous by the CPSC's own guidelines, yet it has not been pulled from shelves, recalled or identified as hazardous for the education of potential buyers.

Please check back in later this week, as we continue our discussion on this important topic.

Source: Washington Post, "CPSC promised to protect kids from cadmium jewelry, still failing on basic steps," Oct. 14, 2012