State lawmakers pushing for ban on cadmium in products for kids

Hartford - State lawmakers are pressing for new restrictions in the use of potentially dangerous chemicals in products for children, including cadmium, a toxic heavy metal used in trinkets and jewelry.

The push to ban cadmium, and to empower the state Department of Environmental Protection to set tough new restrictions on potentially harmful chemicals, is the latest in a series of legislative efforts to restrict toxins in consumer goods.

Those efforts have been cheered by environmental, health and medical groups, but vigorously opposed by lobbyists for businesses and manufacturers, who say the regulations will drive up overhead costs and upset the state's teetering economy.

"Connecticut is on a roll with respect to restricting toxic chemicals," Sen. Ed Meyer, D-Guilford, said Friday at a press conference to push for the elimination of cadmium in children's jewelry.

A coalition of health advocates found cadmium in 4 percent of the more than 660 children's toys it tested last year, said Sarah Uhl of Clean Water Action. That percentage showed both that the potentially carcinogenic metal was present in toys being sold for the state's children, she said, and that there were sufficient alternatives to the substance that a ban could be effectively imposed.

The conference came the same day as a release from the state Department of Consumer Protection that urged parents to "immediately" stop their children from handling certain winter- and Christmas-themed charm bracelets, which were manufactured in China and have been found to contain high levels of cadmium. The bracelets, which were adorned with figurines of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and a snowman, could be toxic if swallowed, the department said.

Manufacturers in China and India have largely switched to cadmium since the U.S. government cracked down on their use of lead in children's toys, said backers of the ban, including Rep. Diana Urban, D-North Stonington, and Rep. Chris Perone, D-Norwalk.

"They have looked for a substitute for lead that in some instances is even more toxic than lead," said Urban, who co-chairs the Select Committee on Children, which approved a bill that would ban the sale of items containing more than 40 parts per million of cadmium beginning in 2013.

That bill, which is now before the Environment Committee, would direct the Department of Consumer Protection to enforce the ban within existing resources and would be "phased in," Urban said, to allow retailers and manufacturers time to adjust.

But the lawmakers face opposition to both the cadmium ban and a more comprehensive bill that would direct the DEP to create a list of "priority chemicals" that could affect children's health and development. Under the bill, any chemical remaining on the list for three years or more would be banned from use in products marketed for children.

Opponents warn the bill could have a negative effect on state industry.

"Essentially it vests authority in the DEP to determine what products are going to be manufactured in the state and what products aren't going to be manufactured in the state," said Eric Brown, a lobbyist for the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. "Why do we need a legislature if any agency is going to have that kind of authority?"

And other interest groups have pushed back against the cadmium ban, including the Toy Industry Association and the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

The proposed state limit would be more restrictive than existing federal limits, said Rep. Karen Jarmoc, D-Enfield, whose district includes LEGO Systems, the toy manufacturer. Jarmoc and Rep. Mike Alberts, R-Woodstock, were the only members of the children's committee to vote against the cadmium bill.

"It's difficult for a company to function with a different regulation in each state," Jarmoc said. "It's a big cost on the businesses, but also it's very inconsistent as policy makers."

Jarmoc also noted that Congress is considering changes to federal standards, which currently limit soluble cadmium to 75 parts per million in surface coatings of toys.

Alberts called himself a "very strong supporter" of the intent of the bill, but said imposing a different standard from the federal government's would be "onerous."

"LEGO is a very strong employer in our state, and putting them at a disadvantage to meet a separate standard is just ridiculous," Alberts said.

But there is strong support in other quarters for both the cadmium limit and broadening the DEP's ability to regulate toxic chemicals and elements in consumer goods. The legislative proposals have been backed by, among others, the Connecticut Nurses Association, Clean Water Action, Planned Parenthood, and the Connecticut Public Health Association.

There is "compelling" evidence linking cadmium exposure to cancer and reproductive disorders, said Annamarie Beaulieu, the public health association's campaign director, who added that lawmakers are also hoping to establish a center at the University of Connecticut that would help businesses shift to safe chemical alternatives.

"We're not doing this without Connecticut businesses in mind," Beaulieu said.