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Toxic trinkets
The jewelry is shiny, glittery and colorful, usually bearing the likeness of some favorite kids' icon -- the Jonas Brothers, "High School Musical" or Disney prinÂcesses.
In other words, it's irresistible to children and tweens accompaÂnying parents on shopping excurÂsions. And because of the low cost/happy kid ratio -- most items range from $2-$6 -- it's easy for mom and dad simply to give in.
But a growing amount of inexÂpensive jewelry is proving to be not only alluring, but dangerous. Cadmium, a carcinogenic heavy metal, has surfaced as the latest villain lurking in the kids' toy and jewelry aisles.
Last week the Consumer ProdÂuct Safety Commission (CPSC) anÂnounced the first recall of chilÂdren's jewelry because of high levels of cadmium. The recall was for some 55,000 "The Princess and The Frog" pendants sold for $5 at Walmart stores, manufactured by the Rhode Island jewelry company F.A.F.
The message to parents: Take the recalled necklaces away from kids immediately.