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Lesson Plans


Fwd: crayons and asbestos

From: maryannkohl (maryann)
Date: Fri Jun 16 2000 - 10:51:03 PDT

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    CRAYONS ARE SAFE! CRAYONS ARE SAFE! CRAYONS ARE SAFE!
    -------------------------------------------------------
    You never know about what we're told anymore, but here' the latest
    info on crayons and asbestos....

    You can read the complete text of the CPSC's crayon safety press
    release at
    <A HREF="http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml00/00123.html">
    http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml00/00123.html </A>.

    This is from a newsletter called TOURBUS.
    -------------------------------------------------------
    CRAYONS ARE SAFE! CRAYONS ARE SAFE! CRAYONS ARE SAFE!
    -------------------------------------------------------

    Break out the crayon box and start nibbling, folks! The U.S. Consumer
    Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has released the results of its
    investigation of the safety of crayons. You will remember that the
    Seattle Post-Intelligencer recently reported that major brands of
    crayons contain asbestos. Well, the CPSC found

          a trace amount of asbestos in two Crayola crayons made by Binney
          and Smith and one Prang crayon made by Dixon Ticonderoga.
          However, the amount of asbestos is so small it is scientifically
          insignificant.

          In Crayola crayons and Prang crayons, CPSC also found larger
          amounts of another fiber, called "transitional" fiber, which is
          similar in appearance to asbestos fiber. While there are
          potential concerns about these fibers if children are exposed to
          them, CPSC tests concluded that the risk a child would be exposed
          to the fibers either through inhalation or ingestion is extremely
          low and there is no scientific basis for a recall.

    While the CPSC found that the risk of exposure to the fibers from
    using or even eating crayons is low, the CPSC did conclude that these
    fibers really shouldn't be in children's crayons in the first place:

          As a precaution, because crayons are intended for use by
          children, CPSC asked industry to reformulate crayons using
          substitute ingredients. Binney and Smith and Dixon Ticonderoga
          quickly volunteered to reformulate within a year to eliminate the
          fibers. Rose Art, which has only a small percentage of crayons
          made with talc, also agreed to reformulate.

    The best news of all is that

          CPSC tests concluded that there is no cause for concern. Parents
          and teachers can continue to use the crayons they have and
          purchase crayons from store shelves.

    ----------------- End Forwarded Message -----------------

     
    ======================
     
    maryann
    http://www.brightring.com

      

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