Reduction in the Prevalence of Lead-Containing Jewelry in California Following Litigation and Legislation

Exposure to lead-containing jewelry has been identified as one cause of elevated blood lead levels Because of the significant health effects of lead exposure, litigation and legislation in California set standards for lead content of children's and adult jewelry We measured compliance with these standards for jewelry sold at 42 major retailers statewide. During a one-year period, we purchased over 1500 pieces of jewelry and used a two-step process (X-ray fluorescence analysis followed by laboratory verification) to identify noncompliant jewelry. About 4% of the jewelry we purchased did not comply with California lead standards, dramatically less jewelry with high lead content than has been measured in the past in California and in other states. We identified violations at 26 retailers The violations were not restricted to particular types of jewelry or a particular price range Most violations exceeded state standards by at least 2x The most common violation was the lobster-claw clasp often used on necklaces Litigation and legislation have been effective tools for reducing the prevalence of jewelry with high lead content in California We are continuing our monitoring for at least another year with a goal of reducing the frequency of jewelry in violation of California lead standards to near zero.