The United Steelworkers union is using the latest incidents of lead in Chinese imports to argue that trade deals are putting Americans at risk.

"These trade deals have basically eliminated 100 years of consumer activism," USW President Leo Gerard said.

Mr. Gerard, speaking in a conference call yesterday with Dr. Herb Needleman, a physician and a lead poisoning expert from the University of Pittsburgh, also blasted the Consumer Products Safety Commission for speaking out against home lead test kits for having just a 50 percent accuracy rate. He said that with them at least children would be safe 50 percent of the time.

Consumer Reports National Research Center yesterday also released a report on lead from toys that showed that a blood pressure cuff from a Fisher Price medical kit that was not on the recall kit also showed high levels of lead.

A Consumer Reports poll showed that of the 89 percent of consumers who are aware of the toy recalls, 30 percent will buy fewer toys for the holidays, and 30 percent said they would not buy toys made in China.

The problem, Mr. Gerard said, is that when trade opens up, companies find the cheapest source for manufacturing, often going to countries that do not have the same regulations as the United States.

Lead has been found in not only toys, but also in imported construction products.

"We found red lead in tubes and pipes brought in from China," he said. He said red lead is particularly dangerous because it leeches into water very easily.

Dr. Needleman said lead often is used in paint for children's toys because it makes colors brighter. Mr. Gerard said the paint also was 30 percent to 40 percent cheaper than lead-free paint.

"We know that lead damages our children's brains and shortens their lives," Dr. Needleman said. He said that there was no safe level of lead exposure, and that because children tend to put things in their mouths, any amount of lead in toys was too much.

"I support the movement by the union to test children's toys and educate parents," Dr. Needleman said.