Tests are turning up dangerous levels of lead in children’s jewelry, but the federal government can’t compel companies to recall the toxic trinkets, an auditor’s report has found.
“Marketplace tests show that there continues to be children’s jewelry on the market that contains hazardous levels of lead,” says the report released Tuesday.
But Environment Commissioner Scott Vaughan’s audit found Health Canada must instead ask industry to recall products containing “hazardous levels” of lead in the hope companies comply.
“Health Canada lacks power that would allow it to issue mandatory recalls,” it says. “Rather, it must negotiate voluntary recalls with industry.”
The audit notes there’s currently legislation before Parliament that would allow Health Canada to force companies to recall products.
The department has been trying to get companies to stop selling children’s jewelry containing lead for a decade, ever since a five-year-old child’s blood tests turned up high levels of the toxic metal that were traced back to a trinket.
But industry pushed back when Health Canada tried to impose limits on lead in jewelry and considered slapping warning labels on any baubles containing the metal.
The federal Hazardous Products Act bans high levels of lead in children’s jewelry. But the legislation doesn’t let Health Canada force companies to do recalls, so the department’s hands are tied even if it finds lead-laden products.