Chinese replace lead with cadmium

people who buy with low price as thier first concern are the lawfull
prey of those who who figure out how to make it worse just to sell
it cheaper-

goo

Interesting that the cadmium is being used as a substitute for
lead in kid's jewelry. I wouldn't think lead was a very good
component for kid's jewelry anyway. 

Lead and cadmium are both used to made bright red paint, glaze,
etc-- very popular in kids’ stuff. I doubt the actual jewelry is made
of cadmium, though I suppose “pot metal” might contain just about
anything.

Be aware-- if you buy bright red anything, including ceramics, they
almost certainly are colored with lead and/or cadmium. I only really
know anything about ceramics, but last I knew, glazes can contain
lead and be considered “lead-free” if the lead doesn’t leach out
above a certain level. But that’s if it is properly fired and
intact. Storing acidic foods can change that.I don’t buy commercial
red pots (for food).

Noel

I for one won't buy Chinese if there is an alternative. 

That is, naturally, your right, but it is darned hard to do. If you
really look at products, almost everything we buy turns out to be
made in China. And even if it says “made in the USA”, it may be
assembled here from parts made there, I’m told. Stores like Walmart
would be all but empty if you took out the Chinese products.

A friend of mine who went to China and needed gifts to take with him
had a very tough time finding anything that wouldn’t have been just
going back where it came from, even though he needed architypically
American things as gifts.

On a side note, one thing most Chinese have never seen is an
avocado.

Noel

There is a lengthy article in todays Oregonian (Portland’s
newspaper), regarding the "use of toxic metals in kid’s jewelry,"
particularly cadmium. The article points out that the Chinese have
swapped cadmium for lead, and that cadmium is far more of a health
risk than lead was. They quote Bruce Fowler, a cadmium specialist
and toxicologist with the US Centers for Disease as saying,“There is
nothing positive that you can say about this metal. It is Poison.”

I am glad that the alarm is being raised about the use of cadmium in
children’s jewelry, but am dismayed that nothing is being said about
its use in jewelry made for adults.

We need much stricter controls over what is being imported, both for
children and adults.

Alma Rands

True story. It isn’t just Wal-Mart, pretty much every store you go
into, almost everything in the store is Chinese made. Sad, but,
welcome to the New World Order.

Michael

I for one won't buy Chinese if there is an alternative. 

During the last few holiday shows I did last year I sensed a change
in consumer’s attitude on foreign made goods. When a potential
customer asks if I hand make my jewelry I give them my usual spiel
about how I start with a rough stone and produce a finished piece of
jewelry. The response I’m hearing more and more is, “Good, then I’m
not just sending my money to China.”

People are starting to become more and more aware of how corporate
America has sold out our country in the name of cutting costs and
increasing products by outsourcing to other countries. How much of
the current unemployment rate can be tied back to the loss of
manufacturing and customer service jobs to other countries? Still we
all flock to Wal-Mart for cheap prices.

I promote my work more and more as hand made by an American
artisan…

Rick Copeland
Silversmith and Lapidary Artisan
rockymountainwonders.com

Hey, I’m afraid I’ve only been vaguely following this post, but the
cadmium relation led me to remembering an art book I read a while
ago called ‘I Send You This Cadmium Red’ I bloody loved it and it
continues to inspire me no end…Hopefully something inspirational
will come of this post?

All the best, Laura
Londo

News stories do not appear by accident. It is not especially
difficult to see several agendas that are advanced by this news
story.

I for one won't buy Chinese if there is an alternative. 

There are certainly many US interests that find the statement above
music to their ears. I certainly benefit from an anti-import bias.
But I don’t want to join the lynch mob based on one news story that
could possibly be a set-up.

“On Jan. 10, the Associated Press (AP) reported that, in an
investigation it conducted among U.S. retail outlets, twelve of 103
pieces of mainly Chinese-made children’s costume jewelry contained at
least 10 percent cadmium, some in the 80-90 percent range.”

This story seems to be the basis of all the other reports that have
been in the news this week. 12% of pieces tested IS alarmingly high,
but the sample of 103 pieces is hardly large enough to condemn the
entire Chinese knick-knac and doo-dad industry. Several other pieces
of are missing. How many pieces had cadmium less than 10%
but still of a potentially harmful level? How does this compare to
Chinese jewelry made 2 years ago or 10 years ago? For all we know
cadmium in this junk is nothing new. The one story at the root of all
this does not address this.

Have any actual children been diagnosed with cadmium poisoning? What
about the people who manufacture this stuff? How is their health?

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to give a pass to anyone who is
poisoning kids or anybody else, but this story seems like it was
designed to make a sensational case for trade barriers and to give
politicians and consumer advocates a opportunity to take action
against the danger of the week. Google “cadmium jewelry” an see how
many politicians have already got their names in the news calling for
“action” and the story only broke this week! If testing a larger
sample vindicates that there really is a problem, good for them. But
more and more I read the news and wonder whose media consultants are
driving the coverage.

Stephen Walker

Good for you, Rick. I am in complete agreement! Our quality products
are made here in the states and that’s just fine.

When I buy anything whether for personal or business use, I look for
value.

I define value as a combination of many things depending upon the
item’s use: quality, performance, dependability, visual appeal,
expected useful lifespan, service from the seller and/or
manufacturer, and price. (Notice where price is placed.)

I avoid buying anything made in China because an old saying has been
reinforced many times: CHEAP IS EXPENSIVE. I will not shop at
Wal-Mart!

Ray Grossman

One might take notice of how fast Walmart vacated themselves of their
position with kids cadmium jewelry. In way less than a week after I
first read the story, I read an article saying Wally World had
removed all kids jewelry containing cadmium from their stores.
Generally, there are 2 main reasons for such speedy action/reaction
to a story with such far reaching potential. One reason is a great
sense of social, as well as personal concern for the welfare of
others. And the other reason is an acute sense of liability, that
only becomes more expensive the longer you fight it. Huh! I wonder
which reason mega-corporate America would choose for corporate exec’s
benefit, as well as their stockholders best interests?

not shop at Wal-Mart! 

I havent gone to Walmart since my business landlord had to deal with
Wally Worlds real estate people. He sold 2 houses to their strong
arm guys (literally) but wouldn’t sell his hair salon building, nor
my store building, which were both directly in front of their new
store under construction. My landlord kept me informed of most of the
events that occurred to him over the course of about 2 yrs, and I
experienced some of the scenarios personally. Its amazing what
happens when a storm drain is placed in your parking lot 10 inches
higher than the pavement when the new dual lane hiway was built to
handle the traffic to Wally World. Some of the things were highly
questionable in regards to business ethics and legal matters. And
later my own daughter had a rather interesting run-in with Sam’s
Club (Wally World sister) personnel matters. We learned that Wally
doesn’t care to much for type 1 diabetics in their workforce.

Late last year I did a show in Perth Scotland and out of about 30
stalls only 3 made their wares themselves in the UK the rest were
selling jewellery from the Far East, Turkey, and Eastern Europe some
intimated that they had made it themselves. I did not see many
hallmarks or makers marks on it either, they did not advertise it as
gold or silver but again did not say it was not. Huge pieces of
"amber" jewellery complete with fly’s and seeds in it for 10 to 30
USD’s. The jewellery may have high Cadmium or any other nasty
substances in it but a lot of it enters the UK through the back door
so is not checked properly. Mostly junk but it was selling well as it
was cheap and disposable.

Robin Key
Clavis Jewellery
Aberdeen, Scotland

cheap and disposable is the name of the game. and it is what has and
will bring the whole globe to it’s knees. The disposable part is been
My peev and what people do not give much thought to even after it has
been bought and disposed of it is still damaging the planet, filling
land fills and poisoining the earth and waters it mixes with. The
need is to reducate people in a big way.

Hratch

Rick,

People are starting to become more and more aware of how corporate
America has sold out our country in the name of cutting costs and
increasing products by outsourcing to other countries. How much of
the urrent unemployment rate can be tied back to the loss of
manufacturing and customer service jobs to other countries? Still
we all flock to Wal-Mart for cheap prices. 

Please, don’t sell us all short on brains. it does take effort, but
you can buy stuff made in the USA… it’s just like educating the
masses to buy quality jewelry… but instead educate them to buy
stuff that is made in america. cost more? probably. last longer?
probably. better fit, finish? probably…start at home with your
kids…

as for me, i vote with my dollars. I avoid Walmart whenever
possible. Biggest employer in the usa outside of the us government.
Yet despite size, status, and profits, they don’t treat their hourly
employees to “full time insurance” status. probably not a good next
door neighbor either. I shop at the local mom/pop hardware store and
grocery store.

Now, let’s shop American for a bit.

what is one (of many things) that most people need? jeans. any still
made in America?

Not that i’ve found, at walmart… but these brands Are: Carrhart, (
some, not all), Wrangler ( some, but not many), All american clothing,
buddy’s jeans, diamond gusset, longhorn jeans, pointer brand, Round
House Brand, todd shelton, Union Line make

and for “upscale” jeans look to:

Alloy, Delta Blues, Lucky, Nordstrom, True Religion, and on to Blue
Cult, Salt Works, Chip & Pepper, Mogg, Rock & Republic…

I look for older tools, made in America when I need to replace
something… or buy german stuff.

If i buy new, look for: Channel lock, Armstrong Industrial Hand Tools
( fayetville, Arkansas), Bondhus ( Monticello, MN), Elkind Tool,
Estwing, Klein, Moody Tools, (Warwick, RI - miniature tools),
Stanley-Proto (New Britain CT), Vaughn, Wright Tool, Of course, there’s
Snap on… if fit, finish, and prestiege are important, then it’s
Snap On.

you can hardly go wrong buying any of these tool makers stuff. it is
generally MUCH higher quality than chinese, and will last most
people their lifetime. and it wont contain any lead paint or poisons
(laughing) standard disclaimer: no affiliation other then USA
resident, who likes to buy quality and dislikes the new generation of
chinese stainless refrigerators whose compressors dont last more than
5 years… geez, gramma’s old Kelvinator lasted over 30 years…

sorry… i’ll get off my soapbox now.