CEH Finds Purses, Handbags with High Levels of Lead
Is your purse feeling heavy? Perhaps it has high levels of lead! A recent CEH investigation found lead in dozens of purses purchased from Target, WalMart, Macy’s and other major retailers.
This week, CEH announced that recent testing found high levels of lead in dozens of purses purchased from major retailers, including Target, Macy’s, WalMart and many others. Our report, Pretty but Poisonous: Lead in Handbags and Wallets, details our findings and includes images of items found with high lead levels. Lead was found in all colors of vinyl and other faux leather accessories, and was prevalent in yellow and yellow-tinted (green and orange) pieces, suggesting that lead may be in the material and/or dyes.
Lead in handbags and purses can pose a health threat, particularly to pregnant women. Women concerned about lead in purses should keep items away from children, wash hands after handling their purse, and avoid faux leather purses if they are pregnant. CEH has initiated legal action to eliminate the threat of lead in purses-keep posted for updates!