Lead In My ... Purse And Wallet?

By Margarita Nahapetyan

In accordance with the prudence of the Center for Environmental Health, some vinyl and faux leather women's purses, wallets and handbags purchased from nation's major department stores, may contain high amounts of lead, the Oakland-based organization announced earlier this month.

After certain testing and thorough examination for more than six weeks, the group found excessive amounts of lead in handbags, purses and wallets from Bay Area outlets of chains. These included more than 20 major retailers and manufacturers such as Target, Macy's, Wal-Mart, Kohl's, Sears, JC Penney and Ross. Brands with lead traces included Nine West, Xhilaration and Rosetti.

The material on some items tested at up to 90 times higher than the federal lead paint standard, which put a limit of lead in paint to no more than 600 ppm, the experts said. Just 5 out of the 21 retailers that were inspected by the Center for Environmental Health, had safe accessories. The rest were found to violate state standards for lead exposure under California's Proposition 65 consumer protection law.

In spite of the fact that lead was found in handbags of all colors, the group said that the chemical was most prevalent in yellow, green and orange colors. Yellow-colored products, or those where yellow was used to yield such colors as orange and green, were the worst offenders, suggesting that some yellow dyes contain especially excessive lead levels, said Caroline Cox, research director for the Center for Environmental Health. The safest color turned out to be black, she said. Cox also advised purchasing products made of natural material such as canvas or leather in order to avoid potential exposure to lead in women's accessories.

Lead is classified as a neurotoxin which has potential negative effects on development and reproduction. Among the consequences for over exposure to it is a retardation in learning ability. Young kids are considered particularly susceptible. One study, carried out by the National Institutes of Health, found new evidence on neurological damage in babies that are still in the womb. In adults, exposure to lead is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer, as well as memory impairment.

"We know that women use their purses to carry almost anything, but most women would be shocked to learn that they are carrying lead in their purses," said Caroline Cox. She added that women who use these accessories can ingest lead in them through hand-to-mouth contact, and their kids may chew on these products as well. Handbags and wallets are also used by women on a regular basis, Cox said. "We touch them all the time."

Charles Margulis, CEH spokesman said that the best thing to do for individuals who possess questionable and suspicious items, would be to get rid of them. Although the lead-containing accessories were purchased in the Bay Area, the experts suspect that the problem could be national. However, for those who are unwilling or are not ready to say good bye to their favorite items, Margulis has some suggestions:

• Keep these items as far as possible out of rich of children, who are most susceptible to lead poisoning.

• Pregnant women should not be using any of these accessories for the duration of their pregnancy.

• Wash your hands after handling the items.

The companies have roughly sixty days to respond to the legal notice, after which the Oakland group is planning to file a lawsuit to force compliance with Proposition 65 and demand substantial penalties. Proposition 65 implies that businesses must post warnings when selling items containing any of the hundreds of substances listed as causing cancer or reproductive harm.

The report on this latest testing campaign, "Pretty but Poisonous: Lead in Handbags and Wallets," can be viewed at www.ceh.org.