consumer reports « Know what is in your environment

September 10, 2010

Testing is still finding lead and cadmium in children’s products.

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: cadmium, Children's Jewelry, consumer reports, CPSIA, Essco - Safety Check, lead, Toxic toys, X-Ray Fluorescence, XRF — Seth Goldberg @ 12:03 pm

Consumer Reports has been doing spot check tests on children’s products found in the marketplace. Their testing has found that there has been some progress in the amount of lead found in children’s product, yet it is still found and sometimes at very high levels (above federal regulations), they are also finding cadmium and this harmful heavy metal appears to be on the rise. In the past few months, millions of products have been recalled by the CPSC for having been found with lead or cadmium.

Current regulations limit lead are total content found (90 Parts per Million (PPM) in painted surfaces, 300 PPM for all other children’s products, this will potentially decrease to 100 PPM in 2011). Cadmium is not regulated like lead (the CPSC is working on new regulations for cadmium), and currently has a voluntary standard of 75 PPM, but is a soluble amount in the surface coating, not total amount like lead.

Cadmium is a carcinogen and can cause many different health problems. Children are more susceptible to small doses of cadmium from toys and other consumer products, cadmium can potentially damage their developing organs. Long-term exposure of cadmium, even at low levels can be harmful to anyone.

Earlier this year, McDonald’s recalled 12 million “Shrek Forever After 3D” drinking glasses. Since June 30th 2010, over 200,000 pieces of children’s jewelry have been recalled for high levels of cadmium. Consumer Reports has found cadmium in children’s jewelry, metal barrettes and vinyl children’s products, as well as finding lead in a variety of consumer items.

Consumer Products found with Cadmium

As a business owner who specializes in helping people and businesses “know what is in their environment” we at Essco Safety Check have found lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury and other heavy metals in children’s products, ceramics, jewelry, housing and structures, tile, baby items, kitchen products and more. For three years Essco Safety Check has been providing X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) testing services using hand-held XRF analyzers to provide knowledge about your environment. We have provided testing for moms and dads, businesses, industries, governments and more.

Essco Safety Check has been involved with several national recalls for both lead and cadmium.

Check out:

Lead and Cadmium found in Yellow Bumbo Seats

Know what is in your environment and mitigate harm!

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June 8, 2010

Heavy Metals found in Protein Drinks

Filed under: Health, News, Regulation — Tags: arsenic, cadmium, consumer reports, Essco - Safety Check, heavy metals, lead, protein shakes, sciencecorps, toxic, toxins — Seth Goldberg @ 11:41 am

An investigation by Consumer Reports has found lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury in fifteen different protein drinks. Some of these drinks can potentially pose health problems over time (consumption of heavy metals and excessive protein). These drinks were all sold as “ready-to-drink” liquids or powders and had varying levels of heavy metals (from low to moderate). Dietary supplements have voluntary standards for health products, which are set by the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) and protein drinks and other dietary supplements are not required to be tested before they are sold.

Three out of the fifteen drinks tested were found to contain levels of heavy metals above the USP limits for lead, cadmium or arsenic. These drinks are commonly used by athletes, baby boomers, pregnant women and teenagers. The proposed limits set by the USP for lead are 10 micrograms per day; the proposed limit for cadmium is 5 micrograms per day; the proposed limit for arsenic is 15 micrograms per day.

One drink was found to contain 16.9 micrograms of arsenic and 5.1 micrograms of cadmium. Another drink was found to contain all three metals with 13.5 micrograms of lead, 5.6 micrograms of cadmium and 12.2 micrograms of arsenic. And a third drink was found to contain 12.2 micrograms of lead and 11.2 micrograms of arsenic. All findings are based on three servings per day and all samples were either purchased in the New York metro area or online.

It appears that the federal government is not protecting the consumer and better regulation or oversight of “consumer products” such as protein shakes, toothbrushes, or baby spoons should be common sense and is needed. But lack of regulations has cause states to write their own, more strict regulations. According to this study by Consumer Reports, eight of the fifteen drinks would be required by Proposition 65 (California Law) to have manufacturers notify consumers because of lead content.

This investigation was prompted by Dr. Kathy Burns, a Boston-area Toxicologist and founder of Sciencecorps and Judy Braiman of Empire State Consumer Project.

To view the report from Consumer Reports, please visit. To view the press release from Consumer Reports, please visit.

This is just another “consumer product” that is not a consumer product and Essco Safety Check is working to help people and businesses know what is in their environment and mitigate potential harm.

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