Australian and NZ safety assurances about asbestos in play sand were based on supplier’s own assessment

ACCC updates some recall notices to say products ‘may cause risk to health’, contrary to previous claims

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Schools, retailers and government agencies assured parents that asbestos-contaminated play sand posed a low risk to their children’s health based on a supplier’s own assessment which was not independently verified, the Guardian can reveal.

The now-contested public messaging spread quickly after a range of Educational Colours children’s sand products were pulled from shelves in November 2025 after samples were found to contain asbestos, which was followed by more than 20 similar recalls across different brands and retailers.
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