LOS ANGELES — In the first settlement of its kind, national jewelry seller Tween Brands Inc. will effectively eliminate the toxic metal cadmium from the bracelets, necklaces and other items it sells.
The agreement covers jewelry sold in California, but given the size of the state’s market, it becomes company policy nationally. It covers jewelry intended for children, teens and adults, expanding the age range from the preteen girls who had been the focus of concern after high levels of cadmium in jewelry surfaced over the past year.
The case against Tween was brought by the Center for Environmental Health, a California-based group that has long sought to force companies to reduce levels of harmful materials in consumer products. The center said it hoped the settlement, filed with California’s attorney general Friday, would serve as a model for the 39 other retailers or jewelry suppliers against which it has filed cadmium actions over the past year.
