Disney Children’s Jewelry Found with High Levels of Lead
Oakland, CA- Disney "Princess" bracelets and necklaces
purchased from the Disney Store today contain high levels of lead, according to
testing conducted by the Center for Environmental Health (CEH). The jewelry
contains lead at levels that violate the new national standards for lead in
children's products that come into force today, as well as California's jewelry law
that has been in force since September 2007. CEH purchased nine bracelets and
nine necklaces at a Disney store in Concord, CA
today, and all 18 tested for high levels of lead. The lead levels found in a
metal charm on one bracelet was more than 25 times higher than the new federal
limit.
"Companies like Disney have long known that lead is banned in
jewelry for kids, so there is no excuse for this hazardous jewelry to still be
on store shelves" said CEH Executive Director Michael Green. "Disney needs to
clean up their act and keep these products off of store shelves."The
Disney "Princess" necklaces and bracelets have pink, blue, yellow or purple
colored plastic beads, and metal charms with Disney characters including
Cinderella, Ariel from the Little Mermaid, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and
Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. Lead was consistently found in the surface coating
on the metal charms. The jewelry is labeled for children ages "3+" and is marked
as items that are "Disney Store Exclusive."
Last year, the Center's work in exposing lead threats to
children from toys and other children's products helped prompt Congress to enact
the first-ever comprehensive national standards for lead in children's products.
CEH has recently held numerous lead testing events throughout the Bay Area, and
the nonprofit's work in identifying and testing lead-tainted children's products
that are still being sold was featured recently in the Wall Street Journal (http://sec.online.wsj.com/article/SB122938878154208997.html?mod=article-outset-box) and other national media.
California's tough law on lead in jewelry was
developed from the landmark January 2006 settlement that CEH and the Attorney
General negotiated with the jewelry industry. CEH has reported its findings on
the Disney jewelry to the California Attorney General's office, which intends to
alert Disney's counsel today. CEH received a grant to conduct jewelry testing
from a fund that was established by the 2006 jewelry settlement.
