161  Telegraph  Ave.,  Suite  1450  l  Oakland,  CA  94612  l  www.asyousow.org/chocolate
Toxic  Chocolate  in  Easter  Bunnies,  Eggs,  and  More
Lead  and  Cadmium  Found  in  Trader  Joe’s,  Hershey’s,  and  Other  Chocolates
       
OAKLAND,  CA  –  March  23,  2016  –  Consumer  health  watchdog  As  You  Sow  released  results  today  showing  that
35  of  50  chocolate  products  tested,  including  chocolate  bunnies  and  eggs,  expose  consumers  to  lead  and
cadmium  above  levels  set  by  California’s  Safe  Drinking  Water  and  Toxic  Enforcement  Act.
Testing  commissioned  by  As  You  Sow,  and  conducted  at  independent  laboratories,  indicates  that  the  chocolate
products  contain  lead  and/or  cadmium,  and  they  fail  to  provide  the  legally  required  warning  to  consumers.
As  You  Sow  has  filed  legal  notices  against  chocolate  manufacturers,  including  Trader  Joe’s,  Hershey’s,  Green  and
Black’s,  Lindt,  Whole  Foods,  Kroger,  Godiva,  See’s  Candies,  Mars,  Theo  Chocolate,  Equal  Exchange,   Ghirardelli,
Earth  Circle  Organics,  and  more,  for  failure  to  warn  of  lead  and/or  cadmium  in  their  chocolate  products.  
“Lead  exposure  is  associated  with  neurological  impairment,  such  as  learning  disabilities  and  decreased  IQ,  even
at  very  low  levels.  In  fact,  there  is  no  safe  level  of  lead  for  children,”  said  Eleanne  van  Vliet,  MPH,  As  You  Sow’s
Environmental  Health  Consultant.  
“As  underscored  by  the  Flint  disaster,  humans  have  contaminated  our  environment  with  lead,  and  now  we  must
do  everything  in  our  power  to  protect  ourselves  and  children,  who  are  the  most  vulnerable  of  us,  from  every
possible  exposure,”  said  Sean  Palfrey,  MD,  a  pediatrician  and  Professor  of  Pediatrics  and  Public  Health  at  Boston
University  School  of  Medicine.  “Young  children  and  pregnant  women  especially  should  avoid  exposure  to  lead.”
“Lead  and  cadmium  accumulate  in  the  body,  so  avoiding  exposure  is  important,  especially  for  children,”
explained  Danielle  Fugere,  As  You  Sow  President.  “Our  goal  is  to  work  with  chocolate  manufacturers  to  find
ways  to  avoid  these  metals  in  their  products.”
Scientists  have  linked  chronic  cadmium  exposure  to  kidney,  liver,  and  bone  damage  in  humans.  Children  are
more  susceptible  to  especially  susceptible  to  even  from  low  doses  over  time.  Animal  studies  associate  cadmium
exposure  with  decreased  birth  weight,  neurobehavioral  problems,  and  male  reproductive  harm.
Recent  revelations  of  lead  contamination  in  water  in  Flint,  Michigan  raised  awareness  that  lead  is  irrefutably
linked  to  neurological  impacts  in  children.
Since  1992,  As  You  Sow  has  led  enforcement  actions  resulting  in  removal  of  lead  from  children’s  jewelry  and
formaldehyde  from  portable  classrooms.
         
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CONTACT:  Kristin  Costa,  (510)  735-­‐8164,  kcosta@asyousow.org
       
As  You  Sow  is  a  nonprofit  promoting  environmental  and  social  corporate  responsibility  through  shareholder
advocacy,  coalition  building,  and  innovative  legal  strategies.  For  more  information  visit  on  our  lead  and
chocolate  results  visit  www.asyousow.org/chocolate.