The US-based SGCD-pro has been busy keeping ahead of potential cadmium regulation. Positive news has been received from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The CPSC essentially punted the cadmium in jewellery issue back to that industry, asking them to work with ASTM to develop appropriate standards. The CPSC is not participating in the Coca-Cola glass recall, as the agency does not consider the glass to be a children's product. The agency did indicate that it does consider the Vandor glasses (featuring licensed cartoon characters) to be children's products. Vandor assured the SGCDpro that the glasses met all applicable laws for lead content but has recalled the products nonetheless. As a result, SGCDpro has decided to work with ASTM to develop recognised standards for decorated glassware & ceramicware (current standards only address the lip/rim area & dishwasher resilience). With regard to cadmium, the CPSC has decided not to establish a cadmium standard at this time; instead, the commission will defer to ASTM, where subcommittees have been drafting voluntary limits (applying specifically to toys & children's jewellery). After months of deliberations by a CPSC panel, as well as extensive testing by CPSC scientists, the agency announced an "acceptable daily intake" of cadmium. That daily intake is more than triple what the agency had previously considered the maximum safe level (from 0.03 micrograms for every kg of a child's body weight per day to 0.1 micrograms per kilogram per day). In a letter to the ASTM Subcommittee on Toy Safety, the CPSC indicated that staff studies had suggested that the amount of lead or cadmium that could migrate from small items that might be swallowed should be tested based on solubility in an acid solution over a 24h period. The CPSC left open the possibility of adopting mandatory standards if it decides the ASTM levels aren't satisfactory. SGCDpro is considering pursuing an ASTM testing standard for cadmium leaching in glass & ceramic products.
