Cadmium, in particular, has been more closely scrutinized since last month, when the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released details of its investigation into the metal’s use in Asia. It’s believed some Chinese manufacturers are using cadmium as a replacement for lead, which the CPSC has banned in children’s jewelry. “We don’t use cadmium simply because of the production dangers,” says Mario Herrera, president of Jarco (asi/63160). “At high temperatures, cadmium produces toxic fumes. I think this would be a good law. There’s no need to take shortcuts.”

Last month, the CPSC announced a voluntary recall of 55,000 children’s necklaces made in China, sold exclusively at Wal-Mart stores. According to the CSPC, the necklaces contain high levels of cadmium. “Do not allow young children to be given or to play with cheap metal jewelry, especially when they are unsupervised,” warned Inez Tenenbaum, CPSC chairman. “To prevent young children from possibly being exposed to lead, cadmium or any other hazardous heavy metal, take the jewelry away.”

Various studies have shown that direct exposure to cadmium can lead to kidney disease, developmental problems and even cancer. Exposure to barium and antimony can cause liver, lung and heart problems. Manufacturers say there are several available alternatives to cadmium that should be used to make children’s jewelry. “There’s always a solution,” says David Pisarevsky, vice president of supplier CNIJ (asi/43008). “You can use lead-free pewter or stainless steel is very good. Zinc is also safe, but it can be a bit limited and harder to work with.”

JUSTIN PRITCHARD, Associated Press Writer

Cadmium is a soft, whitish metal that occurs naturally in soil. It’s perhaps best known as one half of rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries, but also is used in pigments, electroplating and plastic.

Lab testing organized by The Associated Press shows that it also is present in children’s jewelry — sometimes at eye-popping levels exceeding 90 percent of the item’s total weight.

Most people get a microscopic dose of the heavy metal just by breathing and eating. Plants, including tobacco, take up cadmium through their roots and people absorb it during digestion or inhalation. Without direct exposure, however, people usually don’t experience its nasty side: cancer, kidneys that leak vital protein, bones that spontaneously snap.

Cadmium is particularly dangerous for children because growing bodies readily absorb substances, and cadmium accumulates in the kidneys for decades.

“Just small amounts of chemicals may radically alter development,” said Dr. Robert O. Wright, a professor at Harvard University’s medical school and school of public health. “I can’t even fathom why anyone would allow for even a small amount to be accessible.”

Recent research by Wright found that as cadmium exposure increased, kids were more likely to report learning disabilities.

Dr. Aimin Chen of the University of Cincinnati’s medical school also has studied how cadmium affects young brains. While lead is the heavy metal most associated with harming cognitive development, Chen has concluded that cadmium lowers IQ even more than lead — though cadmium isn’t harming the average American child because the typical exposure is not as large as lead.

Scientists don’t know how much cadmium it takes to kill a child. The only child’s death attributed to cadmium that AP found was a nearly 3-year-old boy from Toronto. According to a case study published in 1994, an autopsy showed his brain had swollen; the researchers concluded his exposure came from items around his home such as paint pigments, batteries or cadmium-electroplated utensils.

Laurie Kellman, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — An Illinois firm agreed to pay a $1.25 million settlement for importing and selling Thomas & Friends children’s toys that contained lead levels above legal limits and risked sickening children.

In agreeing to the penalty settlement, RC2 Corp. denied that it knowingly violated federal law as alleged by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the agency said in a statement Monday evening.

The commission, which provisionally accepted the settlement, charged that RC2 Corp. of Oak Brook, Ill., and one of its subsidiaries, Learning Curve Brands Inc., knowingly imported and sold Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway toys that had “paints or other surface coatings” containing lead levels above .06 percent by weight. The toys were imported from China.

That level violated a 1978 lead paint ban on toys.

“This failure created a risk of lead poisoning and adverse health effects to children,” the commission said in a statement.

From May through September 2007, RC2 reported that more than two dozen styles of vehicles, buildings and other train set components were found to contain lead levels that violated the 1978 ban.

That amounted to some 1.7 million units sold that were later recalled between June and September of that year, according to the CPSC.

The recalls got Congress’ attention.

In 2008, lawmakers passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which lowered the legal lead levels of toys to .0009 percent by weight and took effect on Aug. 14.

RC2 Corp. sells toys through more than 25,000 retail outlets primarily in North America, Europe and Asia, according to its Web site. It is a publicly traded company (NASDAQ:RCRC). Its infant, toddler and preschool products are marketed under its Learning Curve brands, including Lamaze, The First Years and licensed properties such as Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder and Winnie the Pooh.

RC2 Corp.: http://www.rc2.com/

Consumer Product Safety Commission: http://www.cpsc.gov/