CEH Finds High Levels of Lead in Children's Little League Belts
On March 31, 2011, the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) announced that independent testing it commissioned found high levels of lead in certain children’s Little League baseball uniforms belts, in violation of federal and California state law.
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Identified 4 Belts with Lead Levels of More than 2.8% - 8.5%, far in Excess of Federal Limit
CEH has identified four children's Little League belts in which lead in the surface material ranged from more than 2.8% to nearly 8.5% lead, far in excess of the federal standard.1 The products with high lead include a Rawlings belt sold at Wal-Mart, and belts from Sports Authority and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Another belt was found with more than 280 times more lead than the federal safety standards set for lead in children’s products.
Firms Advised Belts Violate California Law as Well
CEH has sent legal notices to the belt retailers and to the state advising them that the belts also violate California consumer protection law. CEH is concerned that children can be exposed to lead in excess of California safety standards through hand-to-mouth contact when they put belts on and off and any time they touch the belts.
CEH's Testing Is Ongoing, Settlements Have Been Reached on Bounce Houses, Purses, Belts, Etc.
The group’s testing is ongoing. Last month, CEH reached legal settlements with two major producers of children’s bounce houses, who agreed to ban all but trace levels of lead in their vinyl products. More than 100 retailers or producers of women’s accessories, including purses and belts, have also signed legal agreements with CEH limiting lead in their products to trace levels.
(CEH is testing children's products for compliance to the federal and California laws as part of a state compliance testing program, and is funded for this work by a grant from the California Attorney General that is administered by the nonprofit Public Health Trust.)
1The federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) imposed progressive limits on lead content in consumer products designed or intended primarily for children 12 and under. Since August 14, 2009, the allowable lead content limit has been 300 parts per million (ppm) and on August 14, 2011, the limit will decrease to 100 ppm, unless CPSC determines that it is not technologically feasible for a product or product category. The CPSIA also lowered the allowable lead in paint and surface coatings of children's products to 90 ppm, effective August 14, 2009.