Jewellery

Lead is a soft, inexpensive metal that is often used in making costume jewellery. However, lead is highly toxic, even at low levels of exposure, and especially to children.

Wearing jewellery containing lead does not cause harm, but children sucking, chewing or swallowing this type of jewellery can cause damage to their bodies, especially to their nervous system. While some jewellery may have paint or a top coating, this does not make the jewellery safer for children because the coating can be chewed or worn off. Lead has a sweet taste and this encourages children to put items that contain lead in their mouths.

In Canada , it is illegal to import, advertise or sell jewellery designed for children which contains more than the allowable lead limits as set out in Canadian regulations.

Cadmium may be increasingly substituted for lead in making costume jewellery. Cadmium is a heavy metal which is known to be more toxic than lead. There is no known risk to wearing jewellery containing cadmium, but sucking, chewing or swallowing this type of jewellery may lead to serious health effects for children. Health Canada has asked industry to stop production, importation and sale of children's jewellery made of cadmium or materials containing cadmium.

Safety Tips

• Check your child's jewellery. Items that are made with a high percentage of lead are heavy for their size. Unless the item has a coating, it will be greyish in colour and may leave a grey mark when rubbed against a piece of white paper.
• If you suspect jewellery may contain lead or cadmium, throw it out in your regular household waste.
• Do not give young children adult jewellery to wear or play with; it may contain lead or cadmium.
• Do not allow children to suck or chew on any jewellery.
• If your child has sucked or chewed regularly on jewellery which you think may contain lead or cadmium, ask your doctor to test your child's blood for lead or cadmium.
• A child who swallows a jewellery item containing lead is at high risk of developing lead poisoning or serious health effects from cadmium exposure. Contact an emergency medical service if you believe your child has swallowed an item containing lead or cadmium.
• Check for product recalls by contacting the retailer, manufacturer or Health Canada.

For more information

More about jewellery containing cadmium

• Fact Sheet: Cadmium in Children's Jewellery Products
  A fact sheet about cadmium in children's jewellery products that explains what the risks are and what Health Canada is doing about it.
• Backgrounder for cadmium in children's jewellery
  Information about cadmium in children's jewellery and examples of products that have been tested by Health Canada for cadmium.

More about jewellery containing lead:

• Effects of Lead on Human Health
  An It's Your Health article on sources of lead exposure, effects on human health, and ways to reduce risk.

More about teething necklaces:

• Necklaces for Preventing or Reducing Teething Pain
  Young children can be seriously injured by necklaces marketed and sold with the intention of preventing or reducing teething pain.

Related Advisories, Warnings and Recalls:

• Harper Government Takes Action to Protect Children from Dangerous Products
• Government of Canada Calls on Industry to Voluntarily Stop the Use of Cadmium in Children's Jewellery
• Consumers Warned of High Levels of Lead in Children's Jewellery
• Health Canada Advises Consumers of Lead and Cadmium Hazard in Children's Jewellery
• Notice to industry: Use of cadmium in children's jewellery products

General information about the safe use of children's products:

• Is Your Child Safe?
  A practical guide to help parents keep their children safe and avoid common childhood hazards.
• Safety with Radar
  An activity booklet for children, highlighting key safety messages.
• Information for Shoppers of Second-hand Products
  This guide helps shoppers to be aware of potential hazards that second-hand products may pose.
• For Industry and Professionals
  An index page providing information on related guidance and regulations intended for industry and professional audiences.