EPA Increases Scrutiny of Lead in Children's Products
Posted by Administrator (admin) on Apr 26 2007 at 8:22 PM
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By healthday.com
Apr 16, 2007 - 12:59:30 PM

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it will increase scrutiny of companies that make or distribute toys, zippers and other children's products that contain lead, which can kill youngsters or harm their brain development.

In response to legal pressure from advocacy groups, the EPA agreed to send letters to as many as 120 manufacturers and importers telling them to provide health and safety studies if there is lead in any products they market to children, the Associated Press reported.

The EPA will also inform the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that an information review by the EPA "raises questions about the adequacy of quality control measures by companies importing and/or distributing children's jewelry."

While the EPA can ban a substance such as lead, only the CPSC can ban a product that contains lead.

Last year, the Sierra Club and another advocacy group, Improving Kids' Environment, sued the EPA to force it to take stronger action to keep lead out of children's products, the AP reported.

In December, the CPSC moved to ban, rather than recall, children's jewelry that contained more than 0.06 percent lead by weight.