EWG Action Fund also reported that the laboratory tests revealed higher asbestos concentrations in crime-scene kits compared with crayons.
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“Crayons and crime-scene toys were found to have asbestos in years gone by, and the manufacturers of both had already promised to deal with the problem”, she goes on to say. He reviewed, but was not involved in, the study. Although the crayons pose a lower risk than the powders, scientists agree that there is no safe level of asbestos exposure. Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause scar tissue in the lungs and may eventually increase the risk of breathing issues and lung cancer.
The Environmental Working Group Action Fund said the tests found four out of 28 crayons to have been tested positive for asbestos. And most of all, we let children do it because coloring with crayons is simple and safe, right?
Of course, these aren’t great brands of crayons, and you probably don’t buy these brands for your own kids.
Some stores that sold the products said they are investigating the report’s findings.
While the crayons were not from specific name brands, but just packed in kid-friendly boxes, one of the toy lab kits was from renowned toy maker Toys ” R”Us, which is taking the matter very seriously.
“Child safety is of the utmost importance”.
At this time, there is only a high concern about the powder from the crime lab kits, said Paulson.
The report said three types of asbestos – tremolite, chrysotile and anthophyllite – were found in the children’s products.
Asbestos is more commonly used in building materials such as insulation and shingles, as it is resistant to heat and fire and doesn’t readily degrade.
The EduScience Deluxe Forensics Lab Kit (black fingerprint powder) is available online through well-known toy retail websites. KSL stated that the infected crayons and crime kits were made in China and imported to the U.S. Those affected include Party City’s Amscan Crayons, Dollar Tree’s Saban’s Power Rangers Super Megaforce Crayons, Disney Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Crayons, and Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Crayons. All of them were tested at the Scientific Analytical Institute of Greensboro, N.C. using transmission electron microscopy.
“Our goal is not to scare parents”, Sondra Lunder, one of the co-authors of the report, explained in an interview with Yahoo. Exposure to asbestos occurs the second that asbestos containing material is released and the articles are airborne. Among the most severe diseases associated with it, lung cancer, asbestosis (a sort of pneumooconiosis) and mesothelioma are the most worth mentioning.
However, global experts have warned that exposure for children can be more serious. “This makes it harder to follow the supply chain and enact and enforce pledges to have asbestos-free products”. It can take one to four decades for asbestos-related illnesses to present themselves.
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“Clearly, some toy manufacturers haven’t done enough to protect children and others from asbestos in consumer products”, says Dr. Philip Landrigan, professor of pediatrics at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. However, this regulation was overturned in 1991, leaving bans on only a few products.
