China-Made Toys, Crayons Have Carcinogenic Asbestos: Report

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Asbestos, a dangerous 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.

According to the EWG press release, in 28 boxes of crayons and 21 crime-scene fingerprint kits that were tested, four brands of children's crayons and two kids' crime-scene fingerprint kits have been found to contain asbestos fibers. The tests were commissioned by the EWG Action Fund and reconfirmed by a second laboratory. 

Additionally, the lab toys contained higher levels of carcinogenic asbestos than the crayons.  The crayons were bought earlier this year from February to May at Party City and Dollar Tree, in a county near San Francisco. The lab toys, on the other hand, were ordered through ToysRUs.com and Amazon.com. 

The brands that were announced to be avoided are: Amscan Crayons, Disney Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Crayons, Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Crayons, Saban's Power Rangers Super Megaforce Crayons, EduScience Deluxe Forensic Lab Kit - black fingerprint powder, and Inside Intelligence Secret Spy Kit - white fingerprint powder.

The asbestos-positive brands were all manufactured in China and only imported by the US.   

"We were surprised," said Sonya Lunder, report co-author and senior analyst of EWG, via CBS News. "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 added that asbestos contamination was also discovered in crayons in 2002 and lab kit toys in 2007.

Asbestos is a durable substance that is resistant to heat, chemicals and fire, and it is precisely why it is used in so many industries. Its use was banned in the US when it learned that tiny asbestos fibers, when inhaled, can stay in the lungs and result in breathing problems, inflammation, scarring, and other serious health problems, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said it takes child safety seriously and holds it as a top priority.

"Child safety is of the utmost importance to CPSC, and we have looked into the issue of asbestos in crayons and possibly being in fingerprint kits in the past," said Scott Wolfson, CPSC communications director, via CNN." "The agency has advised manufacturers in the past to not use any chemicals or any materials that could put a child's health at risk. And we will once again look at the products that have been identified in this new report," he said.