Asbestos in crayons poses unacceptable risks to children. In 2002 and 2007, Dr. Philip Landrigan, professor of pediatrics and preventive medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York said that in the test he conducted there were lethal substances in children's products.
Landrigan is a recognized expert in asbestos and other toxic materials field and a former senior adviser to the US Environmental Protection Agency on the environmental health of children.
These are some of the products that contain asbestos within the crayons.
1. Amscan crayons made in China contain Tremolite or Tremolite Anthyophyllite substance.
2. Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Crayons made in China contain Chrysotile and tremolite substances.
3. Disney Mickey Mouse Clubhouse made in China contain Chrysotile, and Tremolite substances.
4. Saban's Power Rangers Super Megaforce made in China contain Tremolite substance.
Asbestos or fiber material is a material that was banned in several countries. Materials contain asbestos fibers likely to cause lung cancer if someone inhaled the substance.
If children inhale the substance, it likely to make children feel nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Our children are able to consume the hazardous material easily. They may breathe the fibers or bite the asbestos products.
There was never any documented cases of a child diagnosed with a disease related to asbestos which comes from crayons or other toys, but with a long latency period between exposure and diagnosis, it would be very difficult to diagnose the asbestos-related diseases.
For that reason, you have to be very careful in selecting toys for your children, who knows it may endanger the health of your children. Children are very susceptible with asbestos fibers.
How do I find out if I have asbestos?
To find out if asbestos is present, a sample of material from an area you suspect might contain asbestos needs to be sent to a laboratory to be tested.
We do not recommend that you take your own sample, as this can create a further risk of exposure if the sampling is done incorrectly. The most important risk you have to consider is that by cutting or disturbing asbestos to remove a segment for testing, you are potentially releasing dangerous asbestos fibres into the air. It’s best to leave sampling to professional asbestos testers. See more information at www.asbestoswatch.com.au/asbestos-testing
I hope this article can help you be more concern on choosing the right toys for your kids.