Amazon agrees to stop selling toxic school supplies, jewelry

[steven36]

SEATTLE – Things you bought for your kids on Amazon - like school supplies or jewelry - may have had toxic levels of lead.

 

 

The retail giant is now making some changes, following an investigation by State Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

 

Amazon has notified customers across the country, who made a little over 15,000 purchases with illegal levels of lead -- at least 600 of them came from Washington state.

 

Ferguson's office tested dozens of products, including backpacks, pencil pouches, lunchboxes, box covers, necklaces and bracelets.

 

The investigation found school supplies with more than 80 times the legal limit of lead.

 

“As a parent, when I buy products for my kids, I expect them to be safe,” Ferguson said. “All retailers must ensure that their products do not pose a threat to Washington children. If they don’t, they will hear from my office.”

 

Amazon has agreed to remove the items, refund customers more than $200,000, and pay the state a $700,000 fine.

 

From now on, Amazon must also require all their marketplace sellers, which offer nearly one million kids' products, to prove that their items have been tested and are safe.

 

“While so many of us benefit from the convenience of online retailers, the products they sell shouldn’t harm our families or the environment where we live,” Department of Ecology Director Maia Bellon said. “This is especially true with products marketed for kids.”

 

Source