Common Household Asbestos Products

Many everyday products contained asbestos. After the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruled to phase out asbestos in 1989, some asbestos-containing products disappeared off the market.

Asbestos products in the home

Common household products that may contain asbestos include:

Crock pots
Popcorn poppers
Stove mats
Asbestos pads
Trivets
Potholders
Toasters
Slow cookers
Irons
Ironing board covers
Hair dryers

Artificial embers for gas fireplaces
Door gaskets on wood stoves
Appliance components
Electric blankets
Burner pads
Fireproof gloves
Fertilizers
Potting soil mixes
Packing material
Artificial snow
Corkboards

Chalkboards
Children’s toys
Yarn
Rope
Tape
Textiles
Table tops
Talc powder
Curling irons

Asbestos in crayons

Asbestos in crayons sparked a controversy when in May 2000 the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that its lab analysis discovered asbestos fibers in children’s crayons. Crayon manufacturer Binney & Smith countered that the analysis was inaccurate and that other fibers were being misidentified as asbestos.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) conducted its own testing, In a June 2000 report, the CPSC found that trace amounts of asbestos were indeed discovered in three crayons but that the amount was insignificant. The wax encasing made it unlikely that asbestos would become airborne. However, the CPSC requested that crayon manufacturers reformulate their ingredients to eliminate any possibility of talc-containing asbestos fibers in crayons.