US environmental groups and regulators are concerned about lead in products imported from China. Lead is commonly used in Chinese manufacturing because it’s cheap and flexible. Rebecca Williams reports:
Transcript
US environmental groups and regulators are concerned about lead in products imported from China.
Lead is commonly used in Chinese manufacturing because it’s cheap and flexible. Rebecca
Williams reports:
Earlier this year, a Minneapolis boy died from lead poisoning after swallowing a toy charm sold with a
pair of Reebok shoes. The charm was found to be 99% lead.
Scott Wolfson is a spokesperson for the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. He says the
commission’s especially concerned about imported toy jewelry made with lead.
“We are an agency responsible for recalling over 160 million pieces of children’s jewelry over the past
three years. Much of it has actually come from China.”
Wolfson says the commission is pressuring Chinese government officials and manufacturers to
switch to alternate metals.
The Sierra Club is suing the US government to stop the sale of toy jewelry made with lead.
For the Environment Report, I’m Rebecca Williams.