CBP Works with CPSC, Seizes Toy Jewelry with High Lead Levels
On July 14, 2011, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a news release announcing that last month, working with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), CBP seized a shipment of imported children's toy jewelry for hazardous levels of lead. The shipment of toy jewelry coming from China was considered high-risk and had been targeted by CBP's Import Safety Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center (CTAC). The manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the shipment was approximately $340,000.
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The shipment was examined by CBP officers at the port of Chicago, in coordination with the local CPSC compliance investigator. CBP seized the shipment when a sample tested by CPSC was found to contain an amount of lead that exceeded levels allowed by CPSC requirements for children’s products. It is unlawful to import into the U.S. any children’s product that contains lead with more than 90 parts per million (ppm) of lead paint or more than 300 ppm of total lead content. (Note that the lead content limit is scheduled to drop to 100 ppm effective August 14, 2011. See ITT's Online Archives or 07/14/11 news, 11071417, for BP summary.)