Canada To Announce World's Toughest Lead Rules for Kids' Products

"OTTAWA — The federal government is introducing the most stringent rules in the world to effectively ban lead from toys for young children and other products that kids put in their mouths.

The new regulations, to be touted Monday by Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq and published before the end of the year, will limit the lead content in toys intended for children under three years of age to 0.009 per cent. The same limit will be applied to products, other than kitchen utensils, that come into contact with the mouth, such as soothers, baby bibs, straws and drinking spouts.

This will put Canada ahead of other countries.

The United States has a limit of 0.03 per cent total lead on all products intended for children age 12 and under, to be reduced to 0.01 per cent next August. Many other jurisdictions, such as Australia, have a limit of 0.009 per cent of migratable lead, but Health Canada is opting for a cap on total lead because the department says this takes into account regular wear and tear of products, including those with protective coatings that children mouth."

Sarah Schmidt reports for Postmedia News November 29, 2010.