Thousands of collectable cups made in China and distributed nationally and internationally, were withdrawn this week for containing dangerous amounts of lead, once again bringing into spotlight dangerous materials used in children’s products.
The federal lead limit on children’s products is 0.03 percent. The decorative enamel on the glasses contained between 16 percent and 30.2 percent lead, according to laboratory tests conducted by The Associated Press as part of an investigation into dangerous metals in children’s products. The testing was prompted by McDonald’s recall this summer of 12 million glasses from the "Shrek" movie because cadmium shed from them. Although the lead levels were high, tests revealed the glasses did not release enough lead to cause harm.
The glasses that feature comic book heroes and characters from “Wizard of Oz” have been declared children’s products, despite manufacturers claiming them to be intended for adults. In all, about 160,000 glasses have been recalled by LLC and CPSC companies since Sunday. Associated Press disclosed that its laboratory tests showed colored designs in a range of glasses contain high levels of lead or were made in such a way that lead or cadmium could escape and contaminate the hands of someone handling them.
As always, be cautious when buying Christmas presents for the kids and avoid cheap Chinese toys. Visit the US Consumer Product Safety Commission website for updates on recalled products.
