The Proudly Accessorized Girl’s Nightmare –Cadmium in Her Jewelry!

…And what the manufacturers aren’t telling her, could cost them her business.

I’ll admit it. I’ve worn cadmium jewelry. It’s the kind of jewelry that glitters in the sun or dangles from a wrist, similar to most other jewelry I’ve worn. But until I visited this website, I never knew my jewelry could contain cadmium, or that even small exposure to cadmium can cause cancer.

Nope. I never saw stores announce cadmium earring discount specials or buy-one-cadmium-bracelet-get-the-second-one-free. And since I didn’t know, I bought the jewelry.

But now there’s been a game changer. On Sept. 6, major national retailers, including Target and Gap, announced that they are eliminating selling the toxic metal in their stores.

But only in California.

Which makes me wonder. Does this mean that cadmium jewelry is being sold in the stores I buy from in Michigan? Does this mean that the Michigan Targets and Gaps and Clarie’s Accessories have always sold cadmium jewelry, and will be continuing even after states across the country continue to pass legislation limiting toxic chemicals in jewelry and other products? Makes someone like me—a proudly accessorized person—a bit apprehensive about supporting these businesses.

This announcement comes from an agreement made between national retailers and the Oakland-based Center for Environmental Health. It’s basically an acknowledgment that, yes, there’s cadmium in our jewelry, and yes, California retailers are coming clean about it. And by doing so, California shines a pretty harsh spotlight on the other states that we all just realized are not doing anything about it.

Now, I’m not a manufacturer that sells cadmium (and bromine and formaldehyde) jewelry and other products to unsuspecting shoppers. But I am a consumer. And last I checked, manufacturers make their profit off of consumer choices. So, now that I know that I’ve probably bought and worn cadmium jewelry, from places like Target, I’m going to avoid buying jewelry at these major retailers. The problem is, I still don't have the information I need to buy jewelry that IS safe.

While I'm thankful that states like Maryland have passed legislation banning cadmium in jewelry for children, I wish the Michigan legislature would step up and at least give me the right-to-know about which toxic chemicals are in the consumer marketplace for products sold in Michigan. Until then, I’m going to take a class and learn how to make my own (cadmium-free) jewelry.

Michigan LCV is a member of the Michigan Network for Children's Environmental Health, a coalition of health professionals, health-affected groups, environmental organizations, and others dedicated to a safe and less toxic world for Michigan's children. Through education, outreach, and advocacy, we work to change current policies and practices that result in exposure of children to environmental toxicants.