Children’s Halloween Costumes Seized in Seattle For High Lead Content
What’s your kid dressing up as for Halloween this year? When you buy a cheap kids’ Halloween costume at a party store or pop-up shop, it probably never occurs to you that a costume might contain lead. Luckily, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) investigators are on the case: according to KIRO-TV, a $10,000 shipment of kids’ Halloween costumes entering Seattle from China have been destroyed because of the costumes’ high lead content.
Two-hundred-twenty-nine cartons containing 1,371 retail units were seized after they were found to have 11 times the legal limit of lead. When CPSC tested the samples, it found that buttons on the pirate costumes contained 1,109 parts per million (ppm) of lead; just 100 ppm is allowed. All the costumes will be destroyed.
How can you know what’s in your child’s costume? For more about product safety guides and standards, or to report a dangerous item, visit the CPSC website. Because of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, all products for children under age 12 must be tested by an approved lab for harmful chemicals. Since products created before 2008 were not subject to as strict of standards, you may want to think twice before purchasing a second-hand costume at a thrift store.
If you’re concerned about possible lead in costumes or other items in your home, you can also purchase a home lead testing kit for around $10-15.
