Children may be exposed to lead when they suck or unintentionally ingest jewellery. In general, the adverse health effects of lead are severe and children are more vulnerable than adults to the effects it can have on the central nervous system.
Lead and its compounds are used in jewellery for its specific properties and for economical reasons. Lead makes fashion jewellery items heavier and they thus appear to be more “precious”. The use of some lead compounds in coatings gives the jewellery a metallic aspect to the surface and provides shades of colour. Lead is dense and easy to shape and to work with and it allows for welding and soldering. In jewellery, lead is mainly used in copper/lead alloy and in tin/lead alloy (also called “white metal”) with a content of lead of 6% on average. These alloys can be surface treated with rhodium, palladium, gold and silver.
Lead-free alloys are already available on the market for application in fashion jewellery. They usually contain tin, bismuth, copper and silver in replacement of lead. Lead does not normally migrate from jewellery made of crystal glass or treated stones. Precious jewellery is not expected to contain lead and its compounds.
In order to protect children from exposure to lead, France proposed that the use of lead and its compounds in the production of jewellery and the placing of such articles on the EU market should be restricted.
Source: European Chemical Agency
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