Green Group Claims Disney's Children's Jewelry Toxic

An American environmental group is claiming that independent laboratory testing has found that children's jewelry sold by Walt Disney Co contains toxic levels of lead.

"We filed a legal notice to Disney Monday letting them know that this is a violation of California law and that we would file a lawsuit after 60 days," said Charles Margulis of the Center for Environmental Health (CEH).

In a statement, Disney Consumer Products said its products are safe, and meet or exceed all federal product safety regulations and environmental standards.

Under U.S. law, the attorney general has 60 days to decide whether to take action or leave a nonprofit organization to file a lawsuit.

Lead can affect brain development and is especially harmful to young children and fetuses, according to CEH.

A study by the University of North Carolina last year found some children's jewelry being sold at the largest retailers in the U.S. could cause brain damage and even reduce the wearers' IQ levels.

Most of the bracelets, rings, necklaces and earrings bought from large chain stores for the study leeched enough lead to cause minor neurological damage after just 20 seconds of daily contact, claims.

Most of the jewelry tested was aimed at children, researchers said. One ring leeched lead at 250 times the federal limit of daily exposure in children younger than three.

Sellers are not required to disclose the content of jewelry, and researchers say consumers have no way of telling which jewelry pieces could have dangerous lead levels. The biggest potential for high lead content is in items with a dull, antique looking finish.

Last summer, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled 150 million pieces of toy jewelry sold in vending machines between 2002 and 2004 because of dangerous lead levels.

Federal regulators said they are studying lead in costume jewelry sold by mass retailers, and a report is due out this year.

The California Attorney-General sued 13 major retailers last June for failing to disclose that some jewelry sold at their stores contained lead exceeding state standards.