Toy Fingerprinting Kit Recalled For Asbestos Contamination

By Alison Gonzalez

Published on January 07, 2008

Planet Toys, the New York-based manufacturers of the CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit from the popular CBS television series, has pulled the toy from store shelves after lab tests showed the fingerprint powders contained two types of asbestos, including tremolite, one of the deadliest forms of asbestos. Exposure to tremolite has been linked to lung conditions such as mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Although independent tests found asbestos in the toy, the toy remained on store shelves for weeks.

According to Jerry Farrell, Jr. of the Consumer Product Safety Commision (CPSC), it is no surprise that children want to pretend to be a crime scene investigator, just like the ones in the successful crime show. However, the real culprit is in the actual toy itself and must be promptly eliminated, he added.

The company has sent "stop sale" notices to stores such as Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, Costco, Sears, and Kay-Bee Toys across the state.

The CPSC is investigating the asbestos claims, and has made no comment on whether or not an official recall would be issued. However, the group is asking consumers to take measures to ensure their children are not exposed to the harmful product.

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