For many years, the Chinese have been shipping consumer goods to the United States for many reasons.  On the consumer side, these products sold well because they did not cost as much as goods manufactured in the United States or in other countries.  However, that cost savings came with a risk – Chinese products were found to contain high amounts of lead that caused serious injuries.  One such product line that remains popular is children’s toys manufactured in China, and now comes word that in response to the lead concerns, Chinese manufacturers have allegedly replaced that toxin with another, that being cadmium.

According to an AP report published in the Sun-Sentinel in Florida:

“Federal and state watchdogs in the U.S. have opened a new front in the campaign to keep poisons out of Chinese imports, launching inquiries into high levels of cadmium in children’s jewelry while Walmart pulled many suspect items from its store shelves.

A day after The Associated Press documented the contamination in an investigative report, the top U.S. consumer safety regulator warned Asian manufacturers Monday not to substitute other toxins for lead in children’s charm bracelets and pendants.

Regulators and lawmakers reacted swiftly to the AP report, which found that some Chinese manufacturers have been using cadmium, sometimes at extraordinarily high levels. Congress clamped down on lead in those products in 2008, but cadmium is even more harmful.”

Direct exposure to cadmium can lead to cancer, kidney problems and brittle bones, and this could simply be the start of another drawn-out issue with China.  In the meantime, if you or someone you love has been harmed by exposure to this or any other toxic substance, you need the help of Sacramento defective products lawyers who understand how to handle the complicated nature of these sorts of claims.  Contact Demas Law Group today to schedule a free initial consultation.