ADAO Press Release: Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization Releases Findings that Reveal Evidence of Asbestos in Everyday Products

The Seattle Post Intelligencer is running a story on the discovery of asbestos in a variety of children's toys and other household products. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, a volunteer organization dedicated to increasing awareness regarding the dangers of asbestos, funded an 18-month study that contracted with government-certified laboratories to conduct health and safety analysis on a variety of products.

The results were very disappointing.

The ADAO study found that asbestos was present in many more products than was previously realized. Among the more distressing findings was that a very popular children's toy, the "CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit," tested positive for asbestos. The game includes a number of toy tools and some fine powder that children can use to "examine" fingerprints. The laboratory found two different types of asbestos in the power. ADAO and physicians asked about the game are especially concerned that children playing with the powder will be breathing in asbestos fibers.

Other products implicated in the study included: children's play clay, powdered cleanser, roof sealers, duct tapes, window glazing and spackling paste. The tests were conducted by MVA Scientific Consultants, Inc., and Bureau Veritas North America, Inc.

The U.S. Senate has recently passed a bill aimed at banning all products that contain more than 1% asbestos. The House is expected to hold hearings on a bill that would seek a total ban.

Labels: asbestos