Lead contamination of inexpensive seasonal and holiday products

Lead is a potent neurotoxin and because of this, the US regulatory limit for lead content of paint on items intended for children is 0.06% by weight. There were numerous recalls of name-brand toys in the United States for lead paint contamination during 2007. Most of these items were manufactured in China. Seasonal and holiday items are inexpensive and often directed specifically toward children, yet the use of lead paints in these products has not been widely recognized. The objective of this study was to determine the extent of lead contamination in this product category. Ninety-five samples were tested, including primarily Halloween and Easter products. Twelve of the products were found to contain lead in excess of the current US regulatory limit of 0.06% by weight for lead in paints on items intended for children. The high percentage of products found to be contaminated in this limited sampling implies that many more lead-painted items are being sold. These results suggest that the potential hazards of seasonal and holiday products deserve the attention of government agencies seeking to limit the exposure of children to lead.