Asbestos, a unsafe substance that can cause cancer, has been found in crayons and crime-scene fingerprint kits for children, according to a report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) released on Wednesday.
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“This is a chemical known to kill people”, study co-author Sonya Lunder told Yahoo Parenting. “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 explained.
“Parents do need to be concerned about particular brands of products where asbestos was identified”, said Dr. Jerry Paulson, the ex- chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Environmental Health.
The asbestos comes from the mineral talc that is inside the toys. The fibers are invisible to the naked eye and are easily inhaled.
Asbestos was once commonly found in insulation material, but is no longer widely used in manufacturing in the United States. It is banned in almost all other developed nations, the research group said.
The researchers purchased the crayon packs in a county suburb close to San Francisco.
Twenty-eight boxes of crayons and 21 crime scene fingerprint kits for kids were tested for asbestos by the Scientific Analytical Institute in Greensboro, N.C., using the most sensitive detection methods available.
Crayons affected include Disney Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Saban’s Power Rangers Super Megaforce and those made by Amscan.
The two toy crime lab kits with contaminants included the black fingerprint powder in the Edu Science Deluxe Forensics Lab Kit, purchased at ToysRUs.com, and the white fingerprint powder from the Inside Intelligence Secret Spy kit, purchased on Amazon.com. In 2000 the Seattle Post Intelligencer newspaper had crayons tested and found asbestos in three popular brands.
Lunder also continues, “Just a couple of fibers can lodge in your lungs and be there forever”.
If you have questions or concerns about the levels of asbestos, or any other toxic or poisonous substances, you can call the Florida Poison Information Center 1-800-222-1222.
Ex- U.S. Assistant Surgeon General Richard Lemen says the report presents important information and concerns over children’s products.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to asbestos as a child means there’s more time for an asbestos-related illness to develop later in life.
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Another expert, Christopher Weis, agreed.
