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ChrisC1234
August 7, 2007 9:46 PM
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Wow, I didn't even know that lead test kits were available to buy. Now, the problem that I see is that the test kits cost MORE than the cheap crap I'd be testing. SO, rather than buy the test kits, I'll use the money that I'd spend on the kits to buy non-crap from somewhere other than China.

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marsneedsrabbits
August 7, 2007 10:14 PM
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Lead tests are pretty cheap, and work quickly. I've used them on ceramics before, because lead glazes were once common & still show up from time to time.
As for the tests costing more than the cheap stuff, not in aggregate - in other words, when the cheap stuff in in a crate and the importer wants to bring 500,000 pieces of kid's jewelry into the country, lead tests are cheap enough that the importer should *always* test their stuff and pay incredibly high fines or go to jail if they don't test or if they lie about the results.
There is simply no excuse for this continuing in this day and age.

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snarfer
August 7, 2007 10:51 PM
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I find fault with the real meaning that \"95% of pulled jewelry items were from China.\" If 95% of *all* jewelry in the US is from China, then one should simply expect this - and should not be a surprise. Of course, if a lesser overall % of jewelry was from China, then they are certainly over-represented. But, without knowing - well, you can't know. (that being said, I suspect the Chinese don't provide 95% of jewelry and that their shipments are indeed more likely to be pulled. But thats not really my point.)

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infinitysnake
August 7, 2007 11:34 PM
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I never let my kids keep any metal/painted jewelry un les sit comes from a reputasble retailer- the dime store, vending machine stuff is almost guaranteed poison.

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miburo
August 8, 2007 2:15 PM
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As Snarfer said, this is an article that takes some numbers out of context. I know for a fact most of this type of Jewelry is made in China.

The first poster is a perfect example of the attitude that promotes these cheap products.
You guys notice the attitude of the first poster? Instead of spending more money to get a safer product. He'll just switch to another cheap product and crap shoot if it'll be safer. This is the same thought pattern that goes through these importers and giants like Wal-mart when they buy their products \"Year we could do extra testing but it'll increase cost on the product to our customers and they'll stop buying it\"

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Recallwatcher
August 8, 2007 3:13 PM
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Cheap, lead-tainted jewelry isn't hard to find. A Tampa Tribune investigation earlier this summer found that the CPSC rash of recalls catches little.


[news.tbo.com]

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clickertrainer
August 8, 2007 4:20 PM
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Interesting that I have to click TWICE to skip the helpful advertising before I can read the article -- I have always felt the NYT site is one of the most annoying on the Internet.

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