California Governor Signs into Law the Nation’s Strictest Lead and Cadmium Limits for Jewelry

In September, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law the nation’s strictest limits on how much lead and cadmium is allowed in jewelry sold throughout the state. The Safe Jewelry Act (SB 647) goes into effect next year and has limits that cover children’s jewelry and pieces made for adults.

The existing California law, as part of the hazardous waste control laws, prohibits a person from manufacturing, shipping, selling or offering for sale or promotional purposes jewelry, as defined, for retail sale in the state, unless the jewelry is made entirely from specified materials that do not exceed specified lead and cadmium content limits.

SB 647 revises and recasts provisions relating to the materials authorized to be used to make jewelry and children’s jewelry, reduces the lead content limits for electroplated metal, unplated metal, and a dye or surface coating to 0.05% of lead by weight, and reduces the lead content limit for plastic or rubber to 0.02% of lead by weight. The bill also reduces the lead content limit for children’s jewelry to 0.009% of lead by weight for surface coatings and 0.01% of lead by weight for all other components. The cadmium limit for surface coatings on children’s jewelry is reduced to 0.0075% of soluble cadmium by weight.

“Another important component of the new law is the definition of children in regards to children’s jewelry,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager at LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “Until this law goes into effect, children’s jewelry means for those 6 and younger. The new law defines children as those under 15 years of age. This is good news for the state’s millions of children who will undoubtedly handle jewelry and many kids of varying ages still put objects like necklaces and pendants in their mouths at times. LA Testing is available now to help jewelry manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers, government agencies and the public test items to ensure they are in compliance with existing California law and SB 647 when it goes into effect in 2020.”

To learn more about lead, cadmium or other consumer product testing services, please visit www.LATesting.com, email  info@LATesting.com  or call (800) 755-1794.


About LA Testing
LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego and Ontario.

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