Legislation sponsored by State Representative Chris Perone (D-Norwalk) that places significant restrictions on cadmium in children's jewelry was signed into law by Governor M. Jodi Rell.
“This will make our children safer,” said Perone. “There are children’s products out there containing cadmium being sold at national chains. In the past month, there have been recalls of children’s products containing cadmium by Wal-Mart and McDonalds.”
Despite vocal opposition from Wal-Mart, the Toy Industry Association, the Fashion Jewelry Trade Association, and the American Chemistry Council, Perone’s legislation was unanimously approved in the final minutes before the end of the 2010 state legislative session. The new law (Public Act No. 10-113) prohibits children's jewelry containing cadmium of more than .0075 % by weight from being sold, offered for sale or distributed in Connecticut beginning in 2014.
“We applaud Representative Perone’s work to ban known toxic hazards from children’s products and toward protecting future generations from serious and unnecessary harm,” said Sarah Uhl, Coordinator of the Coalition for a Safe & Healthy CT.
The Coalition for a Safe & Healthy Connecticut, which supported the legislation, is made up of over 50 organizations representing health professionals, workers, nurses, businesses, environmentalists, occupational safety advocates and people of faith.
