As per a new research from the Environmental Working Group Action Fund, four brands of children's crayons and two brands of crime scene fingerprinting kits were found having the deadly asbestos fibers. Therefore, the national advocacy group has asked to ban asbestos in the products used by children.

The Environmental Working Group Action Fund said the tests found four out of 28 crayons to have been tested positive for asbestos. The affected products include Amscan Crayons, Disney Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Crayons, Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Crayons and Saban's Power Rangers Super Megaforce Boxes. The products can be purchased at stores like Party City and Dollar Tree.

Exposure of even small amount of asbestos can cause cancer and other deadly problems. The UK Committee on Carcinogenicity has said that if a child gets exposed to asbestos then he is 3.5 times more likely to develop asbestos-caused lung disease known as mesothelioma in comparison to a 25-year-old because of the time taken between exposure and diagnosis.

"Asbestos in toys poses an unacceptable risk to children, today as it did in 2000 and 2007, the last time tests found the deadly substance in these children's products", said Dr. Philip Landrigan, professor of pediatrics and preventive medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Asbestos is composed of minerals that can form bundles of fibers that can be separated into thin, durable threads, said the National Cancer Institute. Since the late 1800s, asbestos are used largely by many industries due to its features like its fibers are heat and fire-resistant and do not conduct electricity.

Though many think that it has been banned after established as a carcinogen, it is in widespread use.