Cadmium.  It’s the new lead.

Good morning, I’m Elizabeth Wynne Johnson; this is Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.

Today, Northern California Congresswoman Jackie Speier plans to introduce the Toxic Metals Protection Act.

SPEIER  To close a gap that exists in protecting children from many of these heavy metals that are truly dangerous for them to ingest: antimony, chromium, cadmium, barium. Those are the metals that really have no requirement for how much can be in child’s product.

The operative word there being PRODUCT. Currently, the federal safety laws that apply to the toy in a Happy Meal are different from those that apply to the same restaurant’s colorful, commemorative “Shrek” glass.  Last month, Speier’s office got an anonymous tip that McDonalds was distributing promotional glasses that were not only cute, but potentially toxic to its littlest customers.

SPEIER If the paint chips off and gets into the dishwasher,  …if the residue gets on a young child’s fingers…  it’s all problematic.  Cadmium shouldn’t be used in products for children.  Pure and simple.

Lab tests by the Consumer Product Safety Commission confirmed the presence of cadmium, and McDonalds recalled 12 million Shrek glasses immediately.

SPEIER From beginning to end, it was just under ten days.

The incident exposed the regulatory discrepancy between “toys” – which are subject to strict testing requirements – and “products.”  A distinction without a meaningful difference.  (Or is it the other way around?)

SPEIER Anything that a young child would hold, play with, have their hands come to their mouth with… It should all be tested.  We’re not saying you can’t use those products, but if you do… they cannot exceed X parts per million.

The next step most likely would be a hearing in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, if leadership decides to pursue the matter.

That’s Power Breakfast from Capitol News Connection.