Health Canada has reported that products from China could be hazardous for young children who often put things in their mouth, so these should be kept out of reach of children.

Cell phone charms and zipper pulls contain hazardously high levels of lead. It is believed that between July 2006 and August 2007, about 54,000 of cell phone charms and zipper pulls were sold at Dollarama stores in Canada. However, there have been no reports of any lead poisoning from those products.

When used in manner they are meant to be used, the risk factor of lead poisoning is very low, but when chewed, sucked, or swallowed, these items would be exposed to high levels of lead.

Lead can have dangerous effects on the children’s development and behavior even at very low levels of exposure. In fact any person, swallowing an item containing significant amount of lead, possesses high risk for severe and potentially fatal lead poisoning.

Items made with high levels of lead are often heavy in their size and relatively soft, but jewelry items made of lead are generally covered by a protective or decorative coating.

According to Jeweler Regulations of Children of Canada, the importation, advertisement or sale of children’s jeweler items containing more than 600mg/kg total lead and 90 mg/kg migratable lead is illegal in Canada.

The Health Canada officials have alerted consumers that they should check, if any children jewelry is made of lead, and should contact doctor if they suspect any symptoms illness.