CBS Corp, Planet Toys, Inc., and several other retailers are facing a lawsuit from a California asbestos awareness group. The awareness group claimed CBS sold crime-scene kits based on the television show ?CSI: Crime Scene Investigation? that have the cancer-causing agent asbestos.

The lawsuit, filed in April 2008, claims an investigation showed the fingerprint dusting powder in the kits contained “substantial quantities of tremolite asbestos … one of the most lethal forms of asbestos.”

Planet Toys Inc., the manufacturer, pulled the kits from the market last year after the awareness group’s claims. Still, Planet Toys said it did not find traces of asbestos.

A spokesman for CBS’ consumer products division would not comment on specifics of the lawsuit, but cited the findings of tests commissioned by Planet Toys and major retailers showing no asbestos hazard in the fingerprint kits.

“Nevertheless, out of an abundance of caution, three months ago we demanded that Planet Toys issue an immediate recall of the product,” he said, adding that CBS also had ended its licensing agreement with Planet Toys for the kits.

Source: Reuters, ?Lawsuit claims ?CSI? toy kits contain asbestos,? April 11, 2008.