The ACT has closed 15 schools after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) published a recall for children’s sand containing asbestos.
The coloured sand is marketed as a children’s play and education product, and is sold at more than 80 retailers including Officeworks.
A school in Queensland has also shut in response to the recall.
Here’s what we know.
Asbestos
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral found in soil or rocks. When broken up, asbestos can release toxic particles into the air.
There are two different types of materials containing asbestos: friable and non-friable.
Non-friable materials include asbestos mixed with substances like cement, but won’t release asbestos fibres unless damaged. Friable materials can easily crumble and release asbestos.
Decades of testing has shown that some types of asbestos can cause mesothelioma, cancer that impacts the lungs or abdomen.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called it “one of the most important occupational carcinogens”.
Asbestos has been banned in Australia since December 2003.
ACCC recall
This week, the ACCC announced a recall for three coloured sand products from Kadink, Education Colours, and Creatistics.
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The recall was issued by Melbourne-based supplier Educational Colours over concerns the products may contain asbestos.
ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe has urged customers to “stop using [the products] straight away”.
Asbestos-containing products cannot be disposed with general waste due to the risk of contamination.
Discarding contaminated products requires personal protective equipment (PPE), heavy-duty packaging and should be taken to specialised disposal facilities.
The ACCC has also provided information about refunds for customers.
School closures
Today, the ACT Government closed more than 20 public primary and preschools partly or in full over the recall.
ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry said schools use the products for “sensory play arts and crafts” and that authorities say there is a “low risk” of exposure.
WorkSafe ACT is undertakingits own airborne fibre testing at schools. Eight samples have returned a negative result so far.
In Brisbane, Mancel College alerted families just after 8am (local time) of its school closure.
Mancel College is a specialist school for students with language disorder.
In a statement, principal Craig Duncan told parents the school was “acting with an abundance of caution” after the sand was found at the junior and senior school campuses.
It closed “with immediate effect,” advising parents to collect their children.
