Cadmium-tainted children’s jewelry sold in Kansas City? What is cadmium and is your child at risk?

The Claire’s stores at Zona Rosa and Ward Parkway Center have pulled children’s jewelry from their shelves that are contaminated with the dangerous heavy metal cadmium.

Last week, approximately 19,000 “Best Friends” Charm Bracelet Sets were recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC ) due to high levels of cadmium. The defective bracelets were manufactured in China by Dae Yeon Industries Corporation and imported to be sold at Claire’s Boutique stores throughout the United States.

The “Best Friends” sets contain three bracelets. Each is a silver-colored chain with a metal pendant containing one of the words “Best,” “Friends,” or “Forever” with a heart lock and key charm with different colored stones. The “Best Friends” Charm Bracelet Sets were sold exclusively at Claire’s stores nationwide between February 2009 and January 2010 for about $12.

The heart lock charms on the bracelets were shown to contain extremely high levels of cadmium – about 91% by weight. Cadmium is a natural element in the earth’s crust. It is a heavy metal that is toxic if ingested by children and can cause adverse health effects, including cancer, kidney disease, stomach problems, lung disease and fragile bones. Exposure to cadmium may cause behavior changes and learning difficulties.

No incidents or injuries have been reported in connection with the product recall however, but health effects of cadmium exposure may be cumulative and may not be immediately recognized.

Consumers are advised to immediately take the recalled “Best Friends” Charm Bracelet Sets away from their children and to return the heart lock charms, or the entire bracelets, to their local Claire’s store for a full refund or replacement product. There is more information on the Claire’s website.

Cadmium in jewelry has been a problem since the passage of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 made lead in children’s jewelry illegal. It is believed that Chinese manufacturers switched to using cadmium to replace lead. However, cadmium is equally dangerous. Cadmium ranks seventh on the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) priority list of 275 most hazardous substances in the environment.

In January, both Claire’s and Walmart pulled children’s jewelry from shelves after finding high cadmium levels. U.S. Senator Charles Schumer is sponsoring legislation that would have toxic metal defined as a banned hazardous substance in the same way that lead is.

If your child has been injured from exposure to cadmium or another toxic substance in children’s jewelry, your family may be entitled to compensation for the injuries and damages you have suffered.

Contact the Kansas City personal injury attorneys at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys. Our Kansas City product liability lawyers have experience representing injury and death claims arising from the use of defective or dangerous products and we know how to hold the manufacturer or seller of these products liable for any injuries and damages their products cause. Call us today.

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Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys
1102 Grand Blvd., Ste 1901
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: 816-471-5111
Toll Free: 888-348-2616
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