Clipping Board » Life Tips ─ Life is also a subject of study...
Update Date: 2010/01/12 04:11 [Compiled by Guan Shu-Ping, Reporters Hong Su-Qing, Lin Jia-Qi, Wang Meng-Lun, Li Yi-Ru / Comprehensive Report]
Children playing with or chewing on Chinese-made toys like earrings and necklaces should beware of potential impacts on intelligence and learning disabilities!
U.S. investigation finds cadmium content as high as 90%
Chinese-made toys dominate 80% of the global toy market. An Associated Press investigation into children's jewelry toys sold in the U.S. found that some products contained cadmium at a weight ratio of up to 91%, meaning a one-gram toy could contain 0.9 grams of cadmium. A senior figure in China's jewelry industry revealed that cadmium has been used in domestically sold products for years. The reason for its presence in these toys remains unclear, but one possibility is that after the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act strictly regulated lead content, manufacturers turned to cadmium as a cheaper alternative.
Cadmium is a known carcinogen, often produced during lead refining, and is primarily used in nickel-cadmium batteries, paints, electroplating, and plastic stabilizers. Once ingested, it accumulates in the kidneys. Ranked seventh among the 275 most toxic environmental substances by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children can absorb cadmium simply by frequently sucking or chewing on toys with high cadmium content.
Recent research by Harvard School of Public Health professor Wright suggests that increased exposure to cadmium in the environment raises the likelihood of learning disabilities in children. Studies by Chen Ai-Min (transliterated) from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine indicate that cadmium's hindrance to children's IQ development is even greater than that of lead.
Lin Jie-Liang, director of the Clinical Toxicology Department at Linkou Chang Gung Hospital, pointed out that long-term low-dose cadmium exposure can damage kidney tubules, impair calcium absorption, and lead to bone diseases due to calcium loss—most notably "Itai-Itai disease," or osteomalacia, where patients suffer constant pain. Continued kidney tubule damage can eventually result in uremia, increasing the risk of dialysis. Cadmium may also raise the risk of prostate and lung cancer.
Children who chew on such toys risk bone diseases and learning disabilities
Notably, while lead remains in bones for 10 to 20 years and in blood for two months, cadmium, once absorbed into the body, has a half-life of 30 to 50 years. Some former welders continue to experience worsening symptoms even after leaving the industry due to this prolonged retention.
Between November and December last year, the Associated Press purchased 103 children's jewelry items from the market and had them tested by Professor Weidenhamer of Ashland University in Ohio. Twelve of these items contained at least 10% cadmium, with some as high as 89%, 86%, and 84%. The tests also found that some products easily released heavy metals. Following the report, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) immediately announced it would investigate cadmium levels in Chinese-made children's toys and take swift action to protect children.
The Taiwan Toy Research and Development Center noted that Taiwan also imports a significant proportion of toys from China. If the U.S. has found cadmium-contaminated products, Taiwan is unlikely to be spared.
Hsieh Tien-Jen, chairman of the Consumers' Foundation, stated that whether containing lead or cadmium, these substances severely impact public health. The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) should proactively investigate and conduct regular inspections while establishing clear safety standards.
The BSMI responded that it would immediately verify the batch numbers of non-compliant products to determine if they were imported into Taiwan. Currently, children's toys are subject to mandatory inspections, including checks for heavy metal content and safety hazards like sharp edges.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 100112/ 78/ 1ymi6. html
Chinese Toys Found with Toxic Cadmium
Children playing with or chewing on Chinese-made toys like earrings and necklaces should beware of potential impacts on intelligence and learning disabilities!
U.S. investigation finds cadmium content as high as 90%
Chinese-made toys dominate 80% of the global toy market. An Associated Press investigation into children's jewelry toys sold in the U.S. found that some products contained cadmium at a weight ratio of up to 91%, meaning a one-gram toy could contain 0.9 grams of cadmium. A senior figure in China's jewelry industry revealed that cadmium has been used in domestically sold products for years. The reason for its presence in these toys remains unclear, but one possibility is that after the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act strictly regulated lead content, manufacturers turned to cadmium as a cheaper alternative.
Cadmium is a known carcinogen, often produced during lead refining, and is primarily used in nickel-cadmium batteries, paints, electroplating, and plastic stabilizers. Once ingested, it accumulates in the kidneys. Ranked seventh among the 275 most toxic environmental substances by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children can absorb cadmium simply by frequently sucking or chewing on toys with high cadmium content.
Recent research by Harvard School of Public Health professor Wright suggests that increased exposure to cadmium in the environment raises the likelihood of learning disabilities in children. Studies by Chen Ai-Min (transliterated) from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine indicate that cadmium's hindrance to children's IQ development is even greater than that of lead.
Lin Jie-Liang, director of the Clinical Toxicology Department at Linkou Chang Gung Hospital, pointed out that long-term low-dose cadmium exposure can damage kidney tubules, impair calcium absorption, and lead to bone diseases due to calcium loss—most notably "Itai-Itai disease," or osteomalacia, where patients suffer constant pain. Continued kidney tubule damage can eventually result in uremia, increasing the risk of dialysis. Cadmium may also raise the risk of prostate and lung cancer.
Children who chew on such toys risk bone diseases and learning disabilities
Notably, while lead remains in bones for 10 to 20 years and in blood for two months, cadmium, once absorbed into the body, has a half-life of 30 to 50 years. Some former welders continue to experience worsening symptoms even after leaving the industry due to this prolonged retention.
Between November and December last year, the Associated Press purchased 103 children's jewelry items from the market and had them tested by Professor Weidenhamer of Ashland University in Ohio. Twelve of these items contained at least 10% cadmium, with some as high as 89%, 86%, and 84%. The tests also found that some products easily released heavy metals. Following the report, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) immediately announced it would investigate cadmium levels in Chinese-made children's toys and take swift action to protect children.
The Taiwan Toy Research and Development Center noted that Taiwan also imports a significant proportion of toys from China. If the U.S. has found cadmium-contaminated products, Taiwan is unlikely to be spared.
Hsieh Tien-Jen, chairman of the Consumers' Foundation, stated that whether containing lead or cadmium, these substances severely impact public health. The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) should proactively investigate and conduct regular inspections while establishing clear safety standards.
The BSMI responded that it would immediately verify the batch numbers of non-compliant products to determine if they were imported into Taiwan. Currently, children's toys are subject to mandatory inspections, including checks for heavy metal content and safety hazards like sharp edges.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ art……url/ d/ a/ 100112/ 78/ 1ymi6. html