That dreadful thing of death is hidden in the cheap jewelery of Amazon and TikTok Shop, which is more poisonous than mercury! Know how your favorite silver ring is causing cancer.
Amazon Toxic Jewelry: Are you also crazy about the cheap and attractive “silver jewellery” seen on online shopping apps? If yes, then be careful. A recent and extremely shocking investigative investigation by ‘The Sunday Times’ has created a stir in the online shopping market all over the world. According to this investigation report, a highly poisonous metal that causes cancer has been found in the beautiful and cheap jewelery being sold on e-commerce giant Amazon and TikTok Shop. The media house itself purchased some jewelery from these two big platforms and got them independently tested for purity at the ‘Birmingham Assay Office’, which certifies the genuine quality of precious metals. The lab results that came out are enough to blow anyone’s senses.
More dangerous than mercury: 9,000 times poison was hidden in a ring worth ₹387!
This chemical test revealed that the ring which was being sold on Amazon for just 2.99 pounds (about Rs 386.93) with the claim of “925 Sterling Silver”, had almost no trace of silver in it. Lab tests found 92.3% pure ‘cadmium’ metal inside the ring, which is more than 9,000 times the UK legal safe limit. It is worth noting that by law any jewelery must contain at least 92.5% real silver to be tagged as “925 silver”. Additionally, charms sets sold in the name of “Tibetan Silver” and “999 Silver” by a seller named GuiSaLa also contained cadmium 5,000 times more than the prescribed limit. At the same time, 33% cadmium was also found in TiantechKong’s earrings and bracelet charms sold by ‘Perform Pearls’ on TikTok shop, which is in violation of the prescribed rules.
The biggest danger for children: How does cadmium slowly corrode the body?
Cadmium is a silvery white metal, which is mainly used in industrial factories and in making rechargeable batteries. According to science, in terms of long-term toxicity, cadmium is considered to be many times more deadly than mercury, which is considered the most dangerous. It is classified as a cancer-causing substance (carcinogen) in the human body.
Christer Hogstrand, professor of molecular ecotoxicology at King’s College London, warned in the report, “This is one of the most dangerous toxic metals on Earth. We are avoiding mercury, but cadmium is even worse.” According to the professor, the biggest danger occurs when a person or especially children unknowingly put these fake jewelery in the mouth, swallow them, or wear them for a long time on any broken or pierced skin. Apart from this, by eating food without washing hands after touching jewellery, this poison gradually damages the kidneys completely and melts the bones from inside.
Panic in companies: ban on sellers and order of product recall
After this big revelation, when Jane Bond, a well-known consultant in the jewelery industry, presented this chemical evidence to Amazon, there was a stir in both the companies. Amidst immense pressure, Amazon has issued an official statement saying that they keep customer safety above all else and are starting the process of immediately removing these toxic products from their platform after an internal investigation. On the other hand, TikTok Shop has taken even stricter steps and completely banned the fraudulent seller. Additionally, the company has issued a strict ‘product recall’ for all customers who unknowingly purchased the poisonous bracelet.
How dangerous is cadmium?
Cadmium is a heavy metal commonly used in rechargeable batteries, industrial coatings, and the metalworking industry. It can slowly accumulate in the body and over time cause damage to the kidneys, bones and other organs. International health agencies classify it as a carcinogen that causes cancer in humans. According to experts, the level of risk from wearing jewelery in general is not the same for every person, but if a child puts such jewelery in the mouth, swallows it, or wears it on broken or pierced skin, then the risk can increase significantly. Therefore the quality and metal composition of such products becomes extremely important.
What did Amazon and TikTok Shop say?
After the investigation came to light, Amazon said that it gives top priority to customer safety. The company said that the products in question are being internally investigated and products violating the rules are being removed from the platform. TikTok Shop said that the concerned seller has been removed from the platform and the recall process has been initiated for the customers who had purchased that product.
What things should be kept in mind while buying jewelery online?
Experts advise that simply having “925 silver” written on it is not enough. It is important to check the seller’s credibility, certification, customer reviews and authenticity of the product before purchasing. If the price of a piece of jewelery is unusually low, extra caution should be taken.