Jewelry

New (2020) limits for Lead and Cadmium in children’s jewelry available for sale in the State of California

New (2020) limits for Lead and Cadmium in children’s jewelry available for sale in the State of California

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February 16, 2022 – Wednesday In researching the current jewelry standards as they relate to the Paparazzi Accessories testing I have been doing, I learned that there are new regulatory standards for Jewelry sold in the State of California. I found a summary of the new standards on the website of the law firm Steptoe….

Lobster clasps on necklaces often have unsafe levels of Lead — this is concerning, as kids often put their necklace chain in their mouth.

Lobster clasps on necklaces often have unsafe levels of Lead — this is concerning, as kids often put their necklace chain in their mouth.

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For those new to this website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used…

XRF test results for wedding ring set: Lead-free, Arsenic-free, Mercury-free, Antimony-free. Trace Cadmium (safe by all standards).

XRF test results for wedding ring set: Lead-free, Arsenic-free, Mercury-free, Antimony-free. Trace Cadmium (safe by all standards).

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Ring one – with bent metal band – images above: #1.) Test on the band Cadmium (Cd): 40 +/- 8 ppm Silver (Ag): 47 +/- 7 ppm Gold (Au): 28,700 +/- 1,000 ppm Zinc (Zn): 14,300 +/- 400 ppm Copper (Cu): 54,900 +/- 1,200 ppm Nickel (Ni): 20,400 +/- 600 ppm Indium (In): 31 +/-…

Paparazzi earrings: Lead-free BUT positive for 2,985 ppm Antimony (+ Arsenic too). Antimony causes cancer in rats.

Paparazzi earrings: Lead-free BUT positive for 2,985 ppm Antimony (+ Arsenic too). Antimony causes cancer in rats.

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Published: January 7, 2020 Introduction (for those new to this website): Tamara Rubin is an independent advocate for consumer goods safety. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children. She began testing consumer goods for toxicants in 2009 and was the parent-advocate responsible for finding Lead in the popular fidget spinner toys in 2017. Tamara uses…

Paparazzi “stone” ring: Lead-free & “Nickel-free”, as advertised…BUT: 265,300 ppm CADMIUM! Cadmium causes cancer.

Paparazzi “stone” ring: Lead-free & “Nickel-free”, as advertised…BUT: 265,300 ppm CADMIUM! Cadmium causes cancer.

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Published: January 7, 2020 Introduction (for those new to this website): Tamara Rubin is an independent advocate for consumer goods safety. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children. She began testing consumer goods for toxicants in 2009 and was the parent-advocate responsible for finding Lead in the popular fidget spinner toys in 2017. Tamara uses…

The Beatles Yellow Submarine pin: 447,400 ppm Lead [90 ppm is unsafe for kids] + 6.766 ppm Cadmium (a carcinogen)

The Beatles Yellow Submarine pin: 447,400 ppm Lead [90 ppm is unsafe for kids] + 6.766 ppm Cadmium (a carcinogen)

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When tested with an XRF instrument, this Yellow Submarine Beatles pin [with no maker’s mark or information to indicate country of origin or year of manufacture*] had the following readings: On the decorative enamel front of the pin: Lead (Pb): 447,400 +/- 2,700 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 6,766 +/- 346 ppm Chromium (Cr): 531 +/- 147…

Do you have a painted bracelet like this at home? This was positive for 19,400 ppm Lead [90 is unsafe] + 489 Arsenic.

Do you have a painted bracelet like this at home? This was positive for 19,400 ppm Lead [90 is unsafe] + 489 Arsenic.

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When tested with an XRF instrument the hand painted child’s bracelet pictured here had the following readings: Lead (Pb): 19,400 +/- 400 ppm Arsenic (As): 489 +/- 132 ppm Barium (Ba): 24,500 +/- 500 ppm Chromium (Cr): 3,332 +/- 246 ppm Tests are science-based and results are replicable. Testing was done with a Niton XL3T…

Crystal bracelet (c. 2014), costume jewelry: 70,700 ppm Lead (90 is unsafe) + 149,600 ppm Cadmium (75 ppm is unsafe.)

Crystal bracelet (c. 2014), costume jewelry: 70,700 ppm Lead (90 is unsafe) + 149,600 ppm Cadmium (75 ppm is unsafe.)

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This bracelet was one of a matching set that a bride purchased and gave to each of her bridesmaids for her wedding in 2014. There is no brand or maker’s mark on it that I can find. When I tested this I was floored by the fact that it was so recently made and yet…

Rosary Bead Charm – Positive for Lead at 5,190 ppm. 90 ppm & up is unsafe for children.

Rosary Bead Charm – Positive for Lead at 5,190 ppm. 90 ppm & up is unsafe for children.

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The metal charm on the rosary bead strand pictured here was positive for Lead (Pb) at 5,190 ppm when tested with an XRF instrument. The amount of Lead that is considered toxic in an item made for use by children specifically is anything 100 ppm Lead or higher in the substrate or anything 90 ppm…

2012 Mardi Gras Beads: 15,800 ppm Lead (Pb) [90 ppm & up is unsafe for kids!] & 2,028 ppm Cadmium (causes cancer).

2012 Mardi Gras Beads: 15,800 ppm Lead (Pb) [90 ppm & up is unsafe for kids!] & 2,028 ppm Cadmium (causes cancer).

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Blue Metallic Plastic Mardi Gras Beads. When filming for my documentary in New Orleans in February of 2012 we collected quite a few sets of Mardi Gras beads, including this set. When tested with an XRF instrument the blue plastic beads pictured had the following readings: Lead (Pb): 15,800 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 2,028 ppm [This…

2014 Golden Mardi Gras Beads; 1,127 ppm Lead (Pb). 90 ppm & up is unsafe! Please don’t let children play with these.

2014 Golden Mardi Gras Beads; 1,127 ppm Lead (Pb). 90 ppm & up is unsafe! Please don’t let children play with these.

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Gold Plastic Mardi Gras Beads from 2014. In 2014 I did an outreach event at the Charleston Children’s Museum and did XRF testing of consumer goods for folks who came to the museum that day. A nanny came up to my table pushing a toddler in her stroller and I noticed the toddler had these…

#Leaded: 1990s Glass Seed Bead Wolf Necklace

#Leaded: 1990s Glass Seed Bead Wolf Necklace

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1990s Glass Seed Bead Wolf Necklace. Seed beads like this commonly test positive for lead and cadmium and sometimes even mercury and arsenic. I personally avoid pieces like this in my home, but I must admit they are very beautiful! While it is very difficult to separate out the different beads on a piece like…

#Leaded: 1978 Ceramic Parrot Hair Clip (Cadmium too!), from Florida

#Leaded: 1978 Ceramic Parrot Hair Clip (Cadmium too!), from Florida

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This little ceramic parrot hair clip tested positive for both high levels of lead and cadmium (high compared to current standards for allowable levels of toxicants in items intended for children.) While the owner told me she got this in 1978 in Florida, I also want to say that I am 48 years old and…

Little Vintage (1980s?) Plastic Avon Bear Pin: 2,300 ppm Lead. 90 ppm & up is unsafe for kids.

Little Vintage (1980s?) Plastic Avon Bear Pin: 2,300 ppm Lead. 90 ppm & up is unsafe for kids.

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        Post published: December 24, 2017 Vintage Plastic Avon Bear Pin. 2,300+ ppm Lead (Pb). The amount of lead that is considered toxic in the paint or coating of a modern item manufactured and intended for use by children is anything 90 ppm Lead or higher. I have tested quite a few…

Do plastic Mardi Gras beads have an unsafe levels of Lead and Cadmium?

Do plastic Mardi Gras beads have an unsafe levels of Lead and Cadmium?

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Purple Plastic Mardi Gras Beads from New Orleans Mardi Gras 2012. When tested with an XRF instrument the plastic beads pictured had the following toxicant readings: Lead (Pb): 315 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 132 ppm Arsenic (As): Negative/ Non-Detect Mercury (Hg): Negative/ Non-Detect For more XRF test results of beads I have tested, click here. The…

Jewelry: Lady Bug Charm, Enamel

Jewelry: Lady Bug Charm, Enamel

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Lady bug charm: 17,100 parts per million (ppm) lead. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in an item intended for children is anything 90 parts per million lead or higher. Most vintage enamel pieces are very high lead, usually closer to 400,000 ppm lead!  With an item as small as this one – the…

#GuerrillaXRFTesting @ Target! Costume Jewelry

#GuerrillaXRFTesting @ Target! Costume Jewelry

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Please check out this little video below that Carissa (from Creative Green Living) and I made, testing costume jewelry hot of the display shelf at Target! Check out my #SaferChoices post about jewelry here! If you appreciate what I do & would like to support my advocacy work (including the XRF testing I do of consumer goods) please consider…

From 2013: The surprising source of most mercury pollution: Gold mining

From 2013: The surprising source of most mercury pollution: Gold mining

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Please click on the image below to see the full pdf of the article. Click here to see gold items that I have tested with an XRF that were also positive for mercury. The original link to article from 2013 can be seen here. A graphic depicting sources of mercury pollution from the original article…

Gold wedding set (c. 2016): 5,527 ppm Mercury, 1,214 ppm Arsenic (+ Gold, Silver, Titanium & Copper).

Gold wedding set (c. 2016): 5,527 ppm Mercury, 1,214 ppm Arsenic (+ Gold, Silver, Titanium & Copper).

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Originally written January 14, 2017 Updated (extensively!) February 17, 2020   This is an ad-free article. To make a contribution to help us keep our most widely-read articles ad-free, click here. Thank you. For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and…

#LeadFreeChoices: Sterling Earrings

#LeadFreeChoices: Sterling Earrings

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Sterling silver earrings: 943,800 parts per million silver! From Bosnia.  No Lead. Click here for guidelines for #SaferChoices: Solid silver jewelry marked “925”  – with natural stones (not crystals.)

#LeadedJewelry: Blue Crystal Earrings

#LeadedJewelry: Blue Crystal Earrings

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Earring: 108,300 ppm lead (leaded crystal). Jewelry intended for adults is not regulated for total lead content. Items intended for children are regulated by law to be 90 ppm lead or lower. …Not 9,000 ppm lead, and definitely not 90,000 ppm lead +++   Click here for #SaferChoices: Solid silver jewelry marked “925”  – with…

#SaferChoices: How to choose jewelry that is Lead-free, Cadmium-free & otherwise safe from a toxicant perspective

#SaferChoices: How to choose jewelry that is Lead-free, Cadmium-free & otherwise safe from a toxicant perspective

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  For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama, LLC…