CPSIA – Cadmium Crisis Explained

Scratching your head about the mounting crisis over cadmium? Let’s see, the CPSC declares the Shrek glasses “not toxic” but still pushes for a recall of these safe products “in an abundance of caution”. Apparently, the CPSC either believes that perfectly safe products should be recalled in an abundance of caution or that they themselves can’t figure out what’s “dangerous” anymore. Not a single article or a single person to my knowledge has identified a single injury caused by cadmium in a consumer product – EVER.

[Oops, SORRY, there is a consumer product closely associated with cadmium intake: " Tobacco smoking is the most important single source of cadmium exposure in the general population. . . . The absorption of cadmium from the lungs is much more effective than that from the gut, and as much as 50% of the cadmium inhaled via cigarette smoke may be absorbed. On average, smokers have 4-5 times higher blood cadmium concentrations and 2-3 times higher kidney cadmium concentrations than non-smokers. . . . No significant effect on blood cadmium concentrations could be detected in children exposed to environmental tobacco smoke." Time to stop smoking, guys - that's big news, apparently.]

Of course, we shouldn’t ignore the fact that the people who are terrorizing America over cadmium are the very same people who are pushing for deep and invasive regulation of all chemicals throughout our society. It’s the anti-chemicals crowd behind the cadmium panic. Mr. Waxman’s big goal is the reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Arguably, the CPSIA is the opening shot in his TSCA battle, which explains his utter intransigence in the face of well-documented catastrophes caused by the CPSIA. Cadmium is perfect for that purpose, especially since no one seems to understand the nature of the threat. Just mention cadmium and “bone softening” and the media and politicians melt.

Anyhow, I was wondering how cadmium became so scary. I realize that cadmium is dangerous under certain limited circumstances – but so are many other things that Americans like to use, such as fire, water . . . and guns. It is obviously time for some research. To help you out, I have provided many useful links below. The history of cadmium is VERY revealing. Here’s what I found out:

The discovery of cadmium came long after Rachel Weintraub and Henry Waxman attended school. Back in the olde days when they were educated, the Periodic Table had a different look:

In those days, when chemistry teachers taught the periodic table, position 48 was known as Puppy Dogs. Chemistry instructors typically explained that this element was responsible for sunshine, candy, love and (of course) puppy dogs. Everything that was good and sweet in our idyllic lives were attributable to Puppy Dogs. Element 48, also known as “Smiley Face”, was always the element children liked best. Most lessons were taught staring dreamily out the window at the playground, watching small children frolic and play. Puppy Dogs was good stuff.

The role of Puppy Dogs in our lives and the American Way was a foundation belief in the scientific community for many years.

Later, science took a dark turn. In 2007, scientists in Congress discovered to their horror that lead (Pb) was not only present on the periodic table just two squares away from Puppy Dogs but that lead was a contaminant in certain consumer products. At this time, science had not advanced far enough for Congressional scientists to know that lead has been on the Earth since creation and is found in everything including our food, water and air. Once Congressional scientists were able to detect trace levels of lead in consumer products, a specialist in the Top Secret Congressional Skunk Works connected the dots – “What about kids? If they play with Puppy Dogs, it’s just two squares away from LEAD!” This is what prompted passage of the CPSIA.

Am I being too science-y? Sorry.

As you know, science marches on and in a very recent 2010 development, scientists at the Consumer Federation of America, led by Rachel Weintraub, and at the CPSC discovered that Puppy Dogs was actually NOT the 48th element. After urgent research into how sunlight was created if not by Puppy Dogs, cadmium was discovered accidentally when someone pulled on their earlobe while deep in thought.

Here’s what Wikipedia says about this Nobel Prize winning discovery:

“Cadmium is a chemical element with the symbol Cd and atomic number 48. Cadmium represents a low point in American science education. In a little known provision of the “Treaty of the Meter” signed by the United States in 1878 signalling the promising beginning of the metric movement in our country, the 48th position of the periodic table was deemed to be a Smiley Face and called “Puppy Dogs”. American science, never questioning this regulation, eventually traced the origins of sunshine and love back to this phantom element. In early 2010, scientists at the U.S. House of Representatives noticed that lead (Pb) was located near Puppy Dogs on the periodic table, and in a rapid series of science-y experiments, determined that Puppy Dogs was actually a soft, bluish-white metal chemically similar to the two other metals in group 12, zinc and mercury. Frighteningly, experiments have determined that cadmium, if dumped into a river in massive quantities as mining run-off over a period of decades, will cause bone softening in nearby populations (“Ouch-Ouch Sickness” is also known as one of the Four Big Pollution Diseases of Japan).”

So that brings you up-to-date on cadmium, bone softening and toxicity. I hope this helps you understand why your Congress and the CPSC are trying to save you from dangerous cadmium. Apparently, you need a lot of “saving”. In my case, I am just going to stop drinking from rivers downstream from WWII mining operations in Japan. That should probably be enough protection for me.

Read more here:
CPSIA – Cadmium Crisis Explained

CPSIA – Let’s Play a Cadmium Game!

We all know that cadmium is dangerous. After all, the Associated Press and seven Senators told us so. I have asked the innocent question – if cadmium is so dangerous that we absolutely cannot tolerate it in jewelry, what else is similarly dangerous? We have a business making children’s products so it’s important that we understand this critical question, right?

At this point, other than whatever the AP decides to print tomorrow, we know that anything with lead is really dangerous. The CPSC, following orders, determined that palladium, rhodium, osmium, iridium and ruthenium are safe. They blessed these materials for inclusion in children’s products in August 2009 so they must be safe, right? Here’s what the CPSC said: “In addition, in the proposed rule, the Commission preliminarily determined that certain metals and alloys did not exceed the lead content limits under section 101(a) of the CPSIA provided that no lead or lead-containing metal is intentionally added. The metals and alloys considered included surgical steel, precious metals such as gold (at least 10 karat); sterling silver (at least 925/1000); platinum; palladium; rhodium; osmium; iridium; ruthenium.”

So here’s the game: match the following statements from Wikipedia about these elements with the element itself. [To verify my quotes, just go to Wikipedia and search for the element.]

1. Cadmium
2. Palladium
3. Rhodium
4. Osmium
5. Iridium
6. Ruthenium

A. “[This element] reacts with oxygen at room temperature forming volatile [element] tetroxide. . . . [Element] tetroxide is highly volatile and penetrates skin readily, and is very toxic by inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact.”

B. “[This element] is also a potential environmental hazard. Human exposures to environmental [element] are primarily the result of the burning of fossil fuels and municipal wastes. However, there have been notable instances of toxicity as the result of long-term exposure to [this element] in contaminated food and water.”

C. “[This element] chloride was at one time prescribed as a tuberculosis treatment at the rate of 0.065 g per day (approximately one milligram per kilogram of body weight). This treatment did have many negative side-effects, and was later replaced by more effective drugs.”

D. “The compound [element tetroxide] similar to [XXX] tetroxide, is volatile, highly toxic and may cause explosions if allowed to come into contact with combustible materials. [This element] plays no biological role but does strongly stain human skin, may be carcinogenic and bio-accumulates in bone.”

E. “[C]hemical complexes of [this element] can be reactive. Lethal intake for rats is 12.6 mg/kg of [element chloride] [This element] compounds can strongly stain human skin. The element plays no biological role in humans.”

F. “Very little is known about the toxicity of [this element's] compounds because they are used in very small amounts, but soluble salts, such as the [element] halides, could be hazardous due to elements other than [element] or due to [the element] itself.”

It’s good to know that only one of these items is considered dangerous. I feel safer already!

Read more here:
CPSIA – Let’s Play a Cadmium Game!

CPSIA – Scary Brass!

In anticipation of the Learning Curve decision about “dangerous” brass bushings, I thought I would provide some information about the uses of brass in society and its current restrictions.

According to Wikipedia, brass has been widely used since prehistoric times. Of course, brass is used in many places: “Brass is a substitutional alloy. It is used for decoration for its bright gold-like appearance; for applications where low friction is required such as locks, gears, bearings, doorknobs, ammunition, and valves; for plumbing and electrical applications; and extensively in musical instruments such as horns and bells for its acoustic properties. It is also used in zippers. Because it is softer than most other metals in general use, brass is often used in situations where it is important that sparks not be struck, as in fittings and tools around explosive gases. Brass has a muted yellow color, somewhat similar to gold. It is relatively resistant to tarnishing, and is often used as decoration and for coins. In antiquity, polished brass was often used as a mirror.” Other sites tout brass for its utility for plumbing, its most ubiquitous use.

It’s obvious that children will encounter brass regularly in their daily lives, like when they handle doorknobs or handle keys. The even-handed CPSIA, as administered by the new “common sense” CPSC, seems nonetheless to place an unusual burden on those knuckleheads like me still left in the children’s market. WE are not allowed to use brass with more than 0.03% lead content by weight (300 ppm), falling inevitably to 0.01% lead by weight (100 ppm) in two years. Here are a couple more “fun facts” about brass: brass typically has 2% lead by weight AND 90% of brass alloys (including bronze) are recycled. In other words, it is hard to control the lead content of this environmentally-friendly metal. Hmmm.

We know that brass pipes are used for plumbing everywhere, even in Mr. Waxman’s house. Children will come in contact with brass when they wash their hands in warm water that travelled through brass pipes or drink from the drinking fountain at school. Oops, did I mention high levels of lead in drinking fountains? Like the 92% in LA Unified School District Schools that remain unrepaired to this day? Sad but true. The LAUSD situation is apparently not NEARLY the crisis presented by brass bushings or brass connectors in toys, clothing or shoes. The CPSIA in its infinite wisdom has determined that children’s businesses should close or their owners should go to jail if they use such things – but other uses of brass in daily life are fine, just fine.

But what about brass in those other uses – are they restricted at all? According to Wikipedia, keys must now contain less than 1.5% lead by weight in California to avoid Proposition 65 labeling. To clarify, keys with greater content than 1.5% are still legal to sell in CA but would need to be labeled under Prop. 65. The approved lead content in keys is 50x the legal limit on lead content in brass in children’s products. Yeah, that makes sense. And in California and in Vermont, brass plumbing fixtures and pipes used to convey water for human consumption must have not more than 0.25% lead by weight by January 1, 2010 – 9x the legal limit on lead in brass in children’s products. [The CA limit is a weighted average, so individual components can exceed this limit.] I do not believe this law requires retrofitting existing California’s pipes. The current limit on lead in California pipes is 8% by weight, a mere 267x the legal limit on lead content in brass used in children’s products.

I cannot find any other restrictions on brass in any products in our country. I probably missed something but no restriction will exceed the zeal of the CPSIA. It is unique as a regulation, both for its sense of sanctity and its overreaching, penal ineffectiveness. Trumpets don’t have legal lead limits, despite being made of brass and intended to be mouthed. Leaded fountains remain in schools across the country, and bad plumbing is everywhere. Nonetheless it is the children’s product industry alone that must endure upheaval from the loss of brass as a basic material. Need I mention that brass was at the heart of the pens crisis earlier this year?

When the CPSC makes its inevitable decision to shut down Learning Curve’s business over its use of brass bushings, they will intone that it’s not their fault, the darned law made ‘em do it. The leadership will then later issue some press releases about vigorously enforcing the law and making everyone safe. There will be no acknowledgement of their role as a tool in the wanton destruction of a valued industry. Not their fault. . . .

Wake me when the nightmare is over.

Read more here:
CPSIA – Scary Brass!