Retailers make a move

In May 2010, after jewelry containing cadmium was reportedly found in Walmart stores, Wal-Mart said that it would voluntarily adopt European safety standards for cadmium and other heavy metals.

Wal-Mart says that it requires all mouthable components of many children's products be tested by CPSC-accredited labs and certified to meet a 75-ppm limit on soluble cadmium and various limits set for other heavy metals. Some states have imposed their own limits for lead or cadmium, which can cause confusion over labeling. For instance, Dream Dazzlers, a children's product containing a light-up magic wand, tiara, and earrings made for Toys "R" Us, carries a label warning that the product contains lead. That sounds alarming, but Toys "R" Us says it had to use the label because Illinois requires the warning if a product has more than 40 ppm of lead. But the item meets the federal limits for lead in toys.