Traces of asbestos have been found in crayons and other toys sold in the United States, a recent investigation by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) revealed.
EWG found the carcinogen in four brands of crayons and two children's crime-scene toy fingerprint kits, all manufactured in China, reported CBS News.
Asbestos was found in the following crayons: Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Crayons, Disney Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Saban's Power Rangers Super Megaforce, all purchased at Dollar Tree, and Amscan Crayons purchased at Party City, according to CNN. The crayons were purchased between February and May of this year from stores near San Francisco.
Asbestos was also found in the black fingerprint powder in the Edu Science Deluxe Forensics Lab Kit purchased through ToysRUs.com, and the white fingerprint powder from the Inside Intelligence Secret Spy kit purchased on Amazon.com.
In all, the group tested 28 crayon brands and 21 toy fingerprint kits.
"We were surprised," said report co-author and EWG senior analyst Sonya Lunder, reports CBS. "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. All the products that tested positive were manufactured in China. This makes it harder to follow the supply chain and enact and enforce pledges to have asbestos-free products."
Lunder said up to one million microscopic fibers of asbestos were found in just a single crayon or sample of crime-scene powder. Higher concentrations of asbestos were found in the crime-scene kits, the group said.
"Just a couple of fibers can lodge in your lungs and be there forever," Lunder said. "And there's very clear evidence that asbestos leads to two forms of cancer, and thousands and thousands of Americans have been killed by fiber exposure."
EWG hired the independent firm Scientific Analytical Institute from Greensboro, N.C. to conduct the transmission electron microscopy tests. A second independent laboratory reconfirmed the positive results, according to MyFox New York.
Prolonged inhalation of the microscopic asbestos fibers has been linked to lung cancer, lung disease and mesothelioma, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Asbestos was once commonly found in insulation material, but is no longer widely used in manufacturing in the United States. While 55 nations have banned asbestos, its use remains legal in China, Russia, India, Brazil, Canada and the United States, according to Asbestos Nation.
