MNN - Mother Nature Network

For the first time, a maker of tween jewelry will eliminate the amount of cadmium that it uses in its products.  

 

 

After a number of product recalls — including 137,000 pieces of jewelry recalled last July — Tween Brands has reached a settlement with the California-based Center for Environmental Health to eliminate cadmium from its popular bracelets, necklaces and charms that are marketed to teens and tweens.

 

Last year, California enacted a law that limited the amount of cadmium that could be present in kids' jewelry to 0.03 percent. This law was developed after it was found that many jewelry manufacturers had replaced the toxic (and regulated) heavy metal, lead, with the equally toxic (but unregulated) heavy metal, cadmium.

 

But California's new regulations for cadmium only apply to jewelry for kids six and under. Under the new agreement, Tween Brands will limit the cadmium in all of its jewelry — even that sold to teens adults to no more than 0.03 percent.