Colored gift wrapping papers as a potential source of toxic metals

Sanitary land fills are the alternate to waste incineration in New Jersey. While industrial waste disposal is controlled, few restrictions apply to the disposal of domestic solid waste. Among the materials of concern from domestic sources are colored gift wrapping papers. Cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, lead and zinc were determined in some dozen and a half samples of gift wrapping paper by atomic absorption spectrometry after wet ashing and after simulated leaching. High levels of lead and chromium were found in many of the papers. The leachates showed correspondingly high levels of lead.