CSI : Planet Toys issues statement about asbestos accusations

On January 15 2008, Planet Toys issued a statement on their website, claiming the absence of asbestos in the CSI toys samples they tested. Despite different findings, it is very possible that a set of toys did truly include asbestos while the next set was correctly manufactured. So far, Planet Toys did not disclose the name of the supplier which prevents doing any serious investigation in China about what really happened.

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PLANET TOYS STATEMENT :

Shortly before Thanksgiving a Seattle Washington newspaper published a story regarding a Consumer Awareness Organization the “Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization”-(ADAO) reporting their testing for asbestos and subsequent findings within selected products from several consumer products companies. Their random testing ranged from companies such as 3M, alleging asbestos content in some of their home improvement tape, to Planet Toys’ CSI Fingerprint kits, among others, which they further alleged, contained up to 7% asbestos in some of the powders.

Planet Toys, responded the next day contacting Paradigm Testing Laboratories in Rochester New York, per the suggestion of Bureau Veritas (BV), and conducted same day testing on 18 different samples of the fingerprint powder, all of which clearly stated “No Asbestos” detected. We then tested another 12 samples from the same lot that the ADAO tested-(Lot 100) claiming their findings of an asbestos content, here again Paradigm Labs confirmed “No Asbestos detected.”

Concurrently- with our testing above here in the U.S—Planet conducted a third test in China with a different laboratory once again stating “No Asbestos detected.” In the ensuing weeks leading up to this release, two prominent retailers, also conducted their own respective tests for the potential detection of asbestos and clearly stated “No Asbestos detected” in the testing of powders in Planet Toys’ CSI Fingerprint kits.

On Tuesday the 17th of December, Planet Toys flew to Oakland California to meet with the firm “Public Justice” who represents the ADAO. The purpose of this meeting was to disclose and share all testing methodologies respectively implemented via ADAO, and Planet Toys’ tests on the CSI Fingerprint kits. This meeting, albeit productive, still left a question mark as to how ADAO detected asbestos through one series of testing, while Planet Toys, and others having conducted nearly six independent tests for asbestos, all concluded “No Asbestos detected” in nearly 50 samples. As such, Planet Toys has issued a “stop sale” on all of our CSI Fingerprint kits until further information can be ascertained as to the discrepancy between our respective test findings.

On January the 8th we received findings again, from Paradigm Laboratories-after requesting further testing of more than a dozen samples from our CSI fingerprint kits be tested-to learn once again “No Asbestos Detected.” Planet Toys Voluntarily Issues a "Stop Sale" on CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit and Field Kit
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ASBESTOS : Clay

According to the US Asbestos Disease Awareness Organisation, the "Ja-Ru" and "Art Skills" clay brands would contain deadly asbestos (tremolite). The association will send out more detailled tests results shortly.

JA-RU Brand
The clay branded "Ja-Ru" is made in China. The importer, Ja-Ru Inc., is based in Jacksonville, Florida (USA). The company does not have a website.

ART SKILLS Brand
The clay branded "Art Skills" is made in Thailand. This brand is sold in the US by Walgreens, among others.

On December 29, I emailed the maker of the Art Skills brand to ask the following question, still unanswered : "The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organisation claims that your clay products might contain asbestos. What is your view about it ? Why don't you mention it on your website so far ? Do you plan a product recall ? I would be glad to correct the information on my blag about your products if it is justified."


LINKS :
http://www.artskills.com/clay_activity.html

ADDITIONNAL INFORMATION :
JA-RU Inc. 4030 Phillips Hwy # 6835 Jacksonville, 32207 FL, USA - Tel : (904) 733-9311

CSI : Licensed properties & deadly toys

On December 19th, one week before Christmas, ADAO (Asbestos Disease Awareness Organisation) published the results of 3 independent laboratories tests, that demonstrate that one of the powders sold with the CSI "fingerprint kit" toy contains 5% asbestos, which causes cancer and can prove to be deadly.

The test method used is described in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency "Test Methode EPA/600/R-93/116: Method for the determination of Asbestos in Bulk Building Materials". The powder samples were examined by Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) and by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), at magnifications from 100 to 50,000 times, leaving no room for errors.

Asbestos was found in the white fingerprint powder.


Immediatly, CBS (the licensor) asked Planet Toys, the NY based toy maker who claims he needs time to check before being forced to issue a "sales stop" when he should have issued a "product recall", therefore leaving all the kids who had already bougth the toy for Christmas in a deadly situation.

Why did Planet Toys Inc. issue a "stop sales" instead of a necessary "product recall" ?

On Dec 24, the toy company (Planet Toys) announced the results of their own latest tests which claimed the absence of asbestos, therefore justifying the "stop sale" instead of a more effective (but more costly) recall.

On Dec 25, I went to Toy's R Us in New York City Times Square, and they had already pulled one version of this toy... but not the more comprehensive version that also included the
fingerprint kit ! Very clever too... and deadly !

Why did Toys'R US and other shop still carried the other references of CSI toys on Christmas day ?

On Dec 27, Planet Toys claimed that their own test proved the absence of asbestos in the toys.

On Dec 28, back in France, I was able to buy the incriminated toy in a french toy shop. The "stop sale" didn't cross the atlantic, therefore leaving Planet Toys & CBS with this revenue stream untouched despite the dangers of the toy for the European kids.

On Dec 29, I emailed Planet Toys the following question, still unanswered:
"Hello, I would like to contact you to ask questions about the safety of the CSI fingerprint kit. I'm very surprised that I'm able to buy this toy in France. Who can I talk with please ? Thank you."

What may have happened ?

Chinese toy makers often reduce the quality of some series of toys raw materials in order to increase marging. It's fine that Planet Toys found some safe series of toys, but it's worrying that the Asbestos Disease Awareness Association found some series of toys with asbestos inside.
This is not the kind of lab test that can be wrong by mistake.

Questions :

Did Planet Toys make tests on each container of CSI fingerprint toys when importing them or just on a few initial samples, therefore leaving the door open for the factory to switch to asbestos to increase their profit margin ?

If you put asbestos in children toys, why not putting razor blades in your morning cereals ?
Oh! I see... there is not regulation about asbestos in toys, that's why !!

LINKS :

Toy maker "Planet Toys" - http://www.planettoys.com/
Asbestos Disease Awareness Association - http://www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org/