The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced it is opening an investigation into The Associated Press’s findings that China’s low cost jewelry makers have been using cadmium in children’s jewelry.  Cadmium is shiny, strong and malleable at low temperatures, but has significant health hazards. Cadmium is a known carcinogenic. An investigation by AP found that 12 of 103 pieces of mainly Chinese-made children’s jewelry bought in the Unites States contained at least 10 percent cadmium, some in the 80-90 percent range. Two had less than 10 percent and the rest had none. The AP’s investigation has triggered retail superstore Wal-Mart, and the jewelry and accessory store Claire’s to pull all items cited by the investigation.

In all, China shipped about 1.3 million pounds of jewelry abroad in 2008 — a 15 percent decrease from the previous year, according to the Hong Kong-based consulting firm Global Sources. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (1/12) editorialized, “Efforts to protect Americans from contaminated products need to focus beyond cadmium.” Congress “also needs to bolster the safety of American-made products. The nonpartisan General Accounting Office has called for an overhaul of the toothless Toxic Substances Control Act, concluding that it emasculates federal regulators to the point that ‘the nation lacks assurance that human health and the environment are adequately protected.” The Star Tribune endorses legislation to reform the Act.

The children’s jewelry in question includes “The Princess and The Frog” movie-based pendants sold at Wal-Mart stores.  For more information, please see: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34807662/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/