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Klobuchar Introduces Bill Along with Six Other Senators to Ban Dangerous Metal Found in Children's Jewelry

Legislation will ban the manufacture and sale of children's jewelry containing cadmium, barium or antimony

February 2, 2010

Washington, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, along with Senator Chuck Schumer and five other senators, introduced the Safe Kids’ Jewelry Act.  The bill will ban the manufacture and sale of cadmium, barium or antimony in jewelry marketed for children ages 12 and under.  Recent tests show a growing presence of cadmium in children’s jewelry as foreign manufacturers switch from lead – now banned in children’s products – to other equally toxic metals.  Studies have shown that direct exposure to cadmium can lead to kidney disease as well as developmental and reproductive health problems.

“Manufacturers have substituted one bad metal for another,” said Klobuchar.  “Cadmium is a poisonous metal and puts our children’s health at risk.  We need to keep toxic toy jewelry off our shores and out of our stores.”

Infants and young children are particularly vulnerable to the dangerous effects of cadmium and other toxic heavy metals.  Children’s growing bodies absorb these metals at much higher rates than adults and long-term exposure increases the toxic effects.

Products covered by the ban include charms, bracelets, pendants, necklaces, earrings and rings.  The ban would take effect 90 days from enactment of the legislation.

Last month, Klobuchar sent a letter to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller urging a hearing on the use of cadmium, a poisonous metal, in children’s jewelry manufactured in China.  Klobuchar also sent a letter to Inez Tenenbaum, Chairman of the CPSC, asking for an investigation into this issue.

Klobuchar serves on the Senate Commerce Committee and chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee’s Subcommittee on Children’s Health.  Klobuchar previously introduced a ban on lead in children’s toys – a provision that was included in the final Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in 2008.  Since CPSIA was enacted into law, toy recalls involving lead have decreased with only 14 recalls as of December 2009 – down from 63 in 2007 and 85 in 2008.  

On Thursday, Klobuchar will participate in an Environment and Public Works Committee hearing that will examine public exposure to toxic chemicals. 

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