17 May 2005

PC 2005-805 Children’s Jewellery Regulations

The purpose of this regulatory initiative is to improve the protection of the health and safety of the Canadian public, especially children, when exposed to children’s jewellery. This is accomplished by adding new regulations under Part II of Schedule I to the Hazardous Products Act which will make it illegal to advertise, sell or import into Canada:

Children’s jewellery containing more than 600 mg/kg total lead and more than 90 mg/kg migratable or leachable lead.

… “Jewellery” is defined as “an ornamental object intended for regular wear on the body or on clothing or clothing accessories.” “Children’s jewellery” is defined as “a jewellery item(s) which is (are) designed, sized, decorated, packaged, and/or otherwise produced, advertised, or sold in such a manner as to make it reasonably apparent that the item(s) is (are) intended to attract, appeal to, or be worn primarily by a child under the age of 15 years.”

… Under this option, all lead-containing jewellery marketed in Canada would legally be required to have a label warning of its lead content attached to the jewellery itself or to its packaging, or displayed near the jewellery….