Government implements tighter controls after toxic metals found in imported jewellery
Federal minister for the environment Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) has launched an action plan to prevent consumers from purchasing products containing toxic substances, after customs officials found alarming levels of heavy metals in counterfeit jewellery.
On Tuesday, a demonstration at a customs hall in Brucargo, Machelen, showed how import inspections are carried out. Inspectors scanned a section of a gold chain with an XRF device, which immediately indicated the type and concentration of heavy metals present. “This necklace contains almost 10 per cent cadmium: that’s a thousand times above the norm,” explained inspector Serge Smetz (DG Environment). “That’s enormous. Cadmium is a heavy metal that accumulates in the body and is carcinogenic. It’s truly harmful to public health and the environment. Jewellery we find containing toxic substances is destroyed.”
In the first nine months of this year, the federal environmental inspectorate discovered excessive amounts of lead or cadmium in nearly three out of ten pieces of jewellery tested.
Cadmium damages the kidneys and lungs, and long-term exposure can cause osteoporosis and cancer. It is also believed to cause genetic defects.
Lead, in turn, causes serious and irreversible neurological damage. In children, it can lead to developmental disorders, concentration problems and a lowered IQ, while in adults it can cause anaemia and high blood pressure.
“Buy products from within the European Union"
To address the issue, Crucke’s new action plan will increase the number of inspectors and review the fines imposed for violations. He also urged consumers to exercise caution. “Buy products from within the European Union,” Crucke advised, “as these must comply with stricter regulations.”
Over the past two years, inspectors have increasingly intercepted small packages containing harmful substances ordered privately through e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Shein or Temu. While larger professional importers have banned unreliable suppliers, smaller online orders frequently contain unsafe products. Asian products continue to flood the European market. Last year alone, more than 4.6 billion e-commerce parcels were processed in the European Union, around 12 million per day.
Traits to look out for
Consumers are advised to be vigilant when buying jewellery. Warning signs include items that feel unusually heavy, solid or flexible, a rough or uneven finish, unclear origin or material labelling and prices that seem too low compared with similar products.
#FlandersNewsService | Federal minister of mobility Jean-Luc Crucke during the presentation of a new action plan for the federal environmental inspectorate to prevent the import of imitation jewellery containing toxic substances, at BRUcargo, Brussels Airport, in Zaventem on Tuesday 28 October 2025. ©BELGA HANDOUT
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