As a parent, a guardian, an educator, a decent human in general, you do what needs to be done to protect kids. You know that although comprised of natural minerals, asbestos is bad news bears and you wouldn't think of handing something that contains asbestos over to a child because you know that asbestos has been proven to play a role in the development of mesothelioma, a rare and deadly cancer.

Or, would you? It's been said that ignorance is bliss, but not when it comes to potentially developing a deadly cancer

In 2015, a battery of tests was run on a variety of major products that our children use on a regular basis and the results were shocking. Four different brands of crayons were found to contain traces of asbestos. Alarmed, the public turned to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and we were given this response,

Based on the results of the testing and evaluation, the staff concludes that the risk a child would be exposed to the fibers through inhalation or ingestion of crayons containing asbestos and transitional fibers is extremely low. No fibers were found in the air during a simulation of a child vigorously coloring with a crayon for half an hour. The risk of exposure by eating crayons is also extremely low because the fibers are embedded in the crayon wax and will pass through the child’s body.

Although the CPC's report pacified many, nobody really wanted to find out if there was even the slightest chance the crayons their child was using could end up killing them and people tossed the tainted crayons in mass quantities and replaced them with crayons found to be asbestos free. Additionally, companies that produced the crayons found to contain asbestos changed the way their product was produced so that even the slightest amount of asbestos would be eliminated.

And just like that, all was well in the world of crayon users once again. Until now.

In a report just released by the United States Public Interest Group, a claim has been made that tests results have determined that Playskool brand crayons, specifically the green colored ones, contain trace amounts of asbestos.

Speaking to CBS New York, a Hasbro representative made it clear that the company was taking the test results seriously and would be working hand in hand with Leap Year, the licensee of the Playskool crayons to get to the bottom of things. Additionally, a spokesperson for Leap Year told CBS New York,

We are aware of a report of trace amounts of asbestos being detected in a small amount of product testing conducted by a private group and are reviewing our own certified lab testing, which to our knowledge, passes all regulatory requirements and had no detectable asbestos. We will issue a formal statement upon the completion of our review. Consumer safety is most important to Leap Year

and we take these matters very seriously.

Playskool crayons weren't the only product found to contain health-damaging substances. The Jot brand, blue three-ring binders, sold at Dollar Tree tested positive for a substance called phthalates which have been linked to asthma and obesity. Dry erase markers made by both Expo and The Board Dudes tested positive for carcinogenic BTEX chemicals, such as benzene, xylene, and toluene. And then there’s this: the Reduce Hydro Pro Furry Friends water bottle and the GSI Outdoors Children’s Water Bottles both were found to contain lead.

If you're concerned about the products that the child in your life is using and whether they might come with health hazards, you might like to review this list.

 

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