Revision 5, August 3, 2009:
Lead Safety
Thank you for inquiring about lead safety in our products.
There are two sets of standards addressing lead content in jewelry products.
Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)
This act pertains to products designed or primarily intended for children 12 years of age or younger. The act reduces the allowable amount of lead from 600 parts per million (ppm) down to 100 by 2010. Beadalon does not fall within the legislations guidelines as our products are intended for adults 13 years or older. Information is being added to our packages to state that our products are not a toy and are intended for adult (13 and over) use.
http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.HTML
California Proposition 65 Guidelines
Since the CPSIA governs Children's Jewelry, most of the industry provides products that fall under California Prop 65 guidelines. Under Prop 65, the maximum allowable threshold is 6% (60,000 ppm) lead for plated jewelry components and 1.5% (15,000 ppm) for unplated metal items. Other items are also noted individually by class. Class 1 components are considered safe, while the other classes must meet the guidelines indicated. California Prop 65 also mandates that hand tools with PVC handles should contain less than 200 ppm lead content. Products in these categories that contain lead levels above California Prop 65 thresholds, sold in the State of California, require a Prop 65 warning on the package.
http://www.oehha.org/Prop65/p65faq.html
http://www.ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1258
CA Jewelry-Making Materials Classification as of March 2008
• CLASS 1 COMPONENTS •
Stainless and surgical steels
Karat gold
Sterling silver
Platinum, palladium, iridium, ruthenium, rhodium ("platinum group metals")
Natural and cultured pearls.
Glass, ceramic, and crystal decorative components (e.g., cat's eye, cubic zirconia somtimes called cubic zirconium, CZ), glass, rhinestones, cloisonne).
Any Gemstone that is cut and polished for ornamental purposes except the following:
aragonite, bayldonite, boleite, cerussite, crocoite, ekanite, linarite, mimetite, phosgenite, samarskite, vanadinite, and wulfenite.
Elastic, fabric, ribbon, rope, and string with no intentional lead and not otherwise listed as a Class 2 component.
Natural decorative materials (e.g., amber, bone, coral, feathers, fur, horn, leather, shell, wood) that are in their natural state or are treated in a way that does not add lead.
Adhesive |
• CLASS 2 COMPONENTS •
COMPONENT |
LEAD CONTENT LIMITS |
| Metal substrates that are electroplated |
Metal alloys with less than 10 percent lead by weight ("88 metal")
that are electroplated with suitable under and finish coats and that are plated utilizing the Best Management Practices described in Exhibit C.
For Covered Products shipped by a Settling Defendant t hat is
a Supplier after December 31, 2008 to a third party for retail sale
in California, and for products sold or offered for retail sale
in California by a Settling Defendant after August 31, 2009,
this standard shall be a metal alloys with less than 6 percent lead
by weight ("92 metal") that are electroplated with suitable under
and finish coats and that are plated utilizing the Best
Management Practices described in Exhibit C. |
| Unplated metal not defined as Class 1 Components. |
1.5% |
| Metal (plated and unplated) used in Children's Products |
0.06% (600ppm) |
| Plastic/Rubber (e.g., acrylic, polystyrene, plastic beads/stones, polyvinyl chloride(PVC)) |
0.06% (600ppm). For Covered Products shipped by a Settling
Defendant that is a Supplier after December 31, 2008 to a third
party for retail sale in California, and for products sold or offered
for retail sale in California by a Settling Defendant after August
31, 2009, this standard shall be no more than 0.02 percent
(200 ppm) lead by weight |
| Dyes, and Surface Coatings |
0.06% (600ppm) |
| Glass and crystal decorative components used in Children's Products |
No more than 1.0 grams total glass or decorative crystal components |
• CLASS 3 COMPONENTS
•
Class 3 Components shall contain no more than 0.06% lead.
Class 3 Components used in Children's Products shall contain no more than 0.02% lead. |
• BODY PIERCING JEWELRY •
Body Piercing Jewelry shall be made of one of the following materials:
• Surgical Implant Stainless Steel
• Surgical Implant grades of Titanium
• Niobium (Nb)
• Solid 14 karat or higher white or yellow nickel-free gold
• Solid Platinum
• A dense low porosity plastic such as Tygon PTFE with no intentionally added lead |
Beadalon Lead Policy
Beadalon is proactive in protecting consumers from lead . In addition to complying with California Prop 65 regulations, we also diligently work to source the lowest lead products available. Our current target is under 600 ppm for findings and under 200 ppm for hand tools. Unfortunately, many of the current metals available for the manufacture of jewelry items can contain trace lead in excess of the CPSIA limit of 100 ppm (0.01%).
 As a leader in lead testing, Beadalon has made a significant investment by purchasing a scanning device which measures the lead content in our products. This device is used to test all shipments as they arrive in our facility to confirm compliance.
To date, we have conducted over a thousand tests in order to ensure the safety of our products for all customers.
We will continue to monitor this important topic and react promptly to changes in the law as they relate to our products and to you.
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