Australia: Canberra will see major school disruptions on Monday as the Australian Capital Territory closes 69 schools following a nationwide recall of coloured play sand that tested positive for traces of asbestos.
Kmart and Target pulled several sand products from shelves after some samples showed contamination. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission described the chance of airborne exposure as low, but the ACT government moved quickly to prevent any risk to students and staff.
ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry said inspections were underway across affected campuses and may take several days to complete. She noted that air testing conducted so far has shown no signs of airborne asbestos in any of the schools. Still, precautionary closures were necessary due to the widespread use of the products.
The latest closures follow partial and full shutdowns on Friday after a separate warning linked to children’s sand sold by Officeworks. The safety alert has now extended beyond Australia, with schools in New Zealand also closing for testing. Local reports suggest at least two institutions will shut down on Monday as checks continue.
Berry said State Emergency Service volunteers and school staff spent the weekend walking through classrooms and play areas, identifying and recording any coloured sand on site. She emphasised that people who handled the product do not require medical assessments, but the government must take all reasonable steps to eliminate risks. Twenty-three ACT schools will stay open as they either hold minimal supplies of the recalled products or have none at all.
The items named in the recall include the Active Sandtub 14-piece Sand Castle Building Set and coloured Magic Sand in blue, green, and pink. Asbestos, once commonly used in construction, becomes dangerous when disturbed and can release fibres that remain in the lungs for decades, sometimes leading to cancer.
Both Australia and New Zealand ban the import or export of asbestos or products containing it, prompting urgent investigations into how the contaminated sand entered the market.
