Investigation Uncovers Lead In Children's Trinkets

[flvegan]

They're an irresistible buy: cheap children's jewelry and toy trinkets, lining the shelves of some of the nation's best-known retailers.

And though consumers snap up these adorable items by the millions, retailers love them even more. They cost little to make overseas and can be highly profitable.

But such trinkets are exposing America's children to potentially lethal levels of lead, a cheap bonding agent.

The Tampa Tribune conducted an investigation of stores and federal regulations aimed at protecting consumers from such hazardous products. It found:

•One in three children's trinkets bought randomly in Bay area stores last month contained a level of lead considered a serious health risk to children younger than 6. Two pieces were purchased after in-house or national recalls of the toxic products had been issued, but items remained on local store shelves.

<snip>

Children's jewelry is particularly perilous, child advocates say. Sold in vending machines, discount stores and high-end stores, the items' flashiness can be irresistible for children, who often place them in their mouths and absorb the toxin into their systems.

Much, much more at link

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/jun/24/na-tribune-investigation-uncovers-lead-in-children/?news-money

[acmavm]

1. When they go to name our age like previous ones, i.e. bronze, stone,

iron, etc., this one will be called the anything-for-a-buck era. Death, destruction, harming children's health, killing our aged. As long as it puts a dollar in a rich man's pocket it's all considered good.

Thank you Larry, Darryl, and Darryl. You were men who were ahead of their time.

[MannyGoldstein]

2. Free Trade is So Totally Awesome!!!

It obliterates jobs and harms our health - a veritable Pandora's Box o' fun!

(This is what happens when we elect phony Democrats to office - we get garbage like this.)

[LeftyMom]

3. This is a scary time to be raising a child.

:(