SEATTLE, Wash. — The Attorney General for the State of Washington announced that Amazon would remove all kids’ items that contain toxic substances from online stores. The Attorney General said that school supplies and kids’ jewelry, for example, contained doses of lead and cadmium that exceeded legal limits and posed a serious threat to the […]
SEATTLE, Wash. — The Attorney General for the State of Washington announced that Amazon would remove all kids’ items that contain toxic substances from online stores. The Attorney General said that school supplies and kids’ jewelry, for example, contained doses of lead and cadmium that exceeded legal limits and posed a serious threat to the welfare of children who come in contact with the items. The Attorney General said the move was part of corporate reforms nationwide of the online retail outlet according to NBC Right Now.
The Attorney General’s announcement comes on the heels of an investigation by his office into the children’s products sold on Amazon. Amazon devised a plan to eliminate the sale of toxic goods by notifying sellers of products that contain illegally high levels of lead and cadmium and directing those sellers to stop selling the dangerous products immediately. Amazon said that the company issued more than $200,000.00 in refunds to consumers. Additionally, Amazon entered into a nationwide binding agreement that obligates the company to prevent the sales of any children’s school accessories and jewelry without certifications and laboratory reports indicating that the products are non-toxic. Amazon also agreed to pay Washington State $700,000.00 earmarked for environmental protection products and future investigations into the toxic safety of children’s items. The agreement helped Amazon avoid a lawsuit filed on behalf of Washington State residents by their Attorney General.
The Attorney General’s investigation revealed that 15,188 products purchased from Amazon.com retailers contained the presence of heavy metals like lead and cadmium at unlawful levels. Consumers from Washington State and others from across the United States purchased these tainted items. The Washington State Department of Ecology examined these items throughout 2017 and 2018. Most of the products found to violate federal and state law were marketed to children 12 and under.