Cadmium in children's jewellery # 6
Jun. 21st, 2010 08:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
emma_in_dreamLatest letter in the pursuit of this
Dear ACCC -
I recently wrote to the Hon Brendan O'Connor about my concerns about the possible importation of children's jewellery with cadmium in it.
I received the following response:
Thank you for your correspondence of 6 April 2010 raising your concerns about the risk of high levels of cadmium in imported children’s jewellery. Toys coated with excess levels of cadmium are pa prohibited import under Customs Regulations, unless I have granted Ministerial Permission for import. Any jewellery clearly intended for children will be captured by this regulation.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) provide the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service with policy advice and guidance on this import control. The ACCC has advised Customs that it is currently researching and testing jewellery to determine whether any contain high levels of cadmium.
If the ACCC identiries any specific types or brands of goods that are a risk with cadmium, Customs will seize any future shipments of those goods at the border.
The ACCC and the State and Territory fair trading authorities also have powers to deal with any dangerous toys or jewellery identified, if they are already on sale in Australia.
I do have two questions. Firstly, this system seems to be premised on the assumption that the importer knows what is in the jewellery and is honest about declaring it. A massive amounts of jewellery has been found laced with cadmium in America, and I am sure most of the importers were unaware that they were bringing in poison from China.
Secondly, I contacted the ACCC back in February this year and I was told that 'the ACCC is unable to provide you with any information that may assist you in locating the information you are seeking' and that 'Children's jewellery standards are not currently enforced by the ACCC.'
There seems to be a conflict between what the Minister's office is saying and what the ACCC is saying. I merely want to know who is responsible for this and whether I can buy jewellery for my little girl without risking poisoning her.
Dear ACCC -
I recently wrote to the Hon Brendan O'Connor about my concerns about the possible importation of children's jewellery with cadmium in it.
I received the following response:
Thank you for your correspondence of 6 April 2010 raising your concerns about the risk of high levels of cadmium in imported children’s jewellery. Toys coated with excess levels of cadmium are pa prohibited import under Customs Regulations, unless I have granted Ministerial Permission for import. Any jewellery clearly intended for children will be captured by this regulation.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) provide the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service with policy advice and guidance on this import control. The ACCC has advised Customs that it is currently researching and testing jewellery to determine whether any contain high levels of cadmium.
If the ACCC identiries any specific types or brands of goods that are a risk with cadmium, Customs will seize any future shipments of those goods at the border.
The ACCC and the State and Territory fair trading authorities also have powers to deal with any dangerous toys or jewellery identified, if they are already on sale in Australia.
I do have two questions. Firstly, this system seems to be premised on the assumption that the importer knows what is in the jewellery and is honest about declaring it. A massive amounts of jewellery has been found laced with cadmium in America, and I am sure most of the importers were unaware that they were bringing in poison from China.
Secondly, I contacted the ACCC back in February this year and I was told that 'the ACCC is unable to provide you with any information that may assist you in locating the information you are seeking' and that 'Children's jewellery standards are not currently enforced by the ACCC.'
There seems to be a conflict between what the Minister's office is saying and what the ACCC is saying. I merely want to know who is responsible for this and whether I can buy jewellery for my little girl without risking poisoning her.
