Information for the General Public

Under the law (Health and Safety Code 25214.2) children’s jewelry that contains any component or is made of any material that is more than 300 ppm cadmium by weight may not be sold or offered for sale, transported or offered for promotional purposes in California. Despite current restrictions for lead, DTSC has found and continues to find high levels of lead in jewelry and promotional items (see video of jewelry material not in compliance with current lead legislation).

California Law Also Requires Manufacturers and Suppliers to Prepare Certifications for their Jewelry

The certifications are required to attest that the jewelry does not contain a level of cadmium (no more than 300 ppm cadmium by weight) that would prevent the jewelry from being sold or offered for sale in California. Additionally, the manufacturer or supplier is required to either provide the certification to any person who sells or offers for sale or for promotional purposes the manufacturer’s or supplier’s jewelry or display the certification prominently on the shipping container or on the packaging of the jewelry.

Examples of Sample Certifications

For you convenience we have provided some examples of certifications that you may see displayed on children’s jewelry packaging or shipping containers or that may be given to persons who sell or offer for sale or for promotional purposes children’s jewelry. Sample certification document

Sample Labels

Contains less than 0.03% Cadmium by weight

Links to Other Resources

• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
• News articles on Toxic Children’s Jewelry Recalls:
  • Recall Alert: Children’s Jewelry
  • How to Protect Kids from Lead Toys
• News articles about Toxics in Children’s Jewelry:
  • Kids’ Jewelry May Pose Cadmium Poison Risk
  • Study Evaluates the Threat Posed by Cadmium in Children’s Jewelry
• CNN Article: Report: Children’s products may contain hazardous metals