Hang Christmas Lights Out of Children’s Reach
Monday, December 10, 2007
Posted by Tasneem Motala
HCHW Board member and children's environmental health expert Dr. Leo Trasande spoke with CNN recently about high levels lead they found in Christmas string lights.
All four of the top American brands tested by Quantex Labs were found to have excessive levels of lead - surpassing Consumer Products Safety Commission's recommended child limit for toys.
"There is no level at which lead exposure is safe," Dr. Trasande said. "Even at one microgram/deciliter -- the lowest level in a person's blood stream that we can detect -- that level has been associated with cognitive impairment in children."
Lead is a heavy metal that is highly toxic to children's brains and nervous systems, even at low levels. HCHW advises parents to avoid these lights if possible. Otherwise, hang lights out of children's reach and always wash hands after use. Lights are not toys and children should not be allowed to handle the lights at all. Parents should be especially vigilant during the holiday season because many ornaments and decorations contain lead.
Check out Sierra Club's new holiday video animation 'Spacey the LEAD elf'.
Read the whole CNN article.
Posted by Janelle Sorensen on 09/17 at 11:47 AM
The lead in string lights is used as a stabilizer in the PVC insulation wrapped around the wiring. You could call Brookstone and ask if there is lead in the product or you could do a home lead test using a kit like the Lead Inspector.
Whether or not there is lead in the insulation of the lights, they are still electrical and are a safety risk for children. I would recommend keeping them out of reach or making it clear that they shouldn’t touch them, either way.
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Posted by on 09/16 at 10:41 PM
Does this apply to LED lights from Brookstone?