Industry says kids' jewelry needs lead to be cheap

By Diane Bartz

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The shiny tiaras and bracelets that little girls love to wear need to contain lead despite its dangers to keep the cost down for consumers, the Fashion Jewelry Trade Association told a congressional committee on Thursday.

"The total elimination of lead in jewelry, particularly jewelry that is not intended for young children, would impose difficulties and costs on the industry and adversely affect quality and costs to consumers," Michael Gale, president of the jewelry group, told a House of Representatives Energy and Commerce subcommittee.

When inexpensive jewelry is made, lead is often cast in the shape of the item, which is then covered or plated with steel or sometimes silver.

Gale testified at the second day of a hearing on the safety of Chinese-made toys and children's jewelry that contain lead. Members of the Fashion Jewelry Trade Association make inexpensive jewelry for retailers.

"If the plating is destroyed, the object should be destroyed," Gale told Reuters after testifying. "Plating renders the lead inaccessible."

He also said there was a difference between accessible lead and lead that was covered by a metal plate, arguing that covered lead is harmless.

Manufacturers that cut the lead content by too much, Gale said, can face higher rejection rates for intricate pieces of jewelry, a shorter useful life for molds, more breakage because of increased brittleness in the metal, and potentially more complaints from consumers.

Lead in paint and other problems with children's toys has led to massive recalls of toys this year by Mattel Inc.