Asbestos fears prompt state, territory school closures
Fears that students may have been exposed to asbestos triggered the sudden closure of schools and nurseries across Australia.
About 23 schools and nurseries were closed or partially closed in the ACT on Friday, while a school in Brisbane was closed for a day after its consumer watchdog warned colored sand could contain traces of asbestos.
The territory’s WorkSafe commissioner, Jacqueline Agius, said health risks to children were low after initial air tests at eight ACT schools returned negative for asbestos, but the results of other types of testing were not yet known.
ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry said ACT officials wanted all schools to reopen on Monday and parents would be notified of the decision on Sunday afternoon or evening.
“Our first priority is the safety of our schools and our students and this is also a workplace so we need to make sure all school staff are safe and protected,” he told reporters in Canberra.
Ms Berry said authorities did not want children or staff to see asbestos workers dressed in biohazard suits carrying out tests and revealed some parents were not aware of the closures until schools were let out.
Mancel College in Brisbane first opened on Friday morning but was quickly closed after the product was discovered in secondary and high schools.
Parents were asked to pick up their children immediately and were told students would be kept away from the sand.
“While the recommendation is low risk and only minor scars, we are proceeding with an abundance of caution,” the university said on social media.
“We are therefore advising parents that we are closing the entire College with immediate effect today.”
A safety alert has been issued to all NSW public schools to remove the recalled sand products.
A Victorian Department of Education spokesman said they had received advice that the health risk was low and there was no indication of the need to close schools or early childhood services.
Worksafe ACT said the colored sand product found in ACT schools was imported from China and sold in 10 gram tubes as Kadink Decorative Sand.
It comes after a while national recall Percentage of toddler litter products sold at retailers such as Officeworks, Educating Kids, Modern Teaching Aids, and Zart Art.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission issued a warning after traces of asbestos were detected in laboratory tests.
The affected products are labeled Kadink Decorative Sand 10g 6-pack, Kadink Sand (1.3kg), Educational Colors Rainbow Sand (1.3kg) and Creatistics Colored Sand (1kg).
The sand has been available in Australia since 2020 and is used for crafts or sensory play.
Worksafe ACT called anyone Dispose of household sand immediately, but do your best to prevent fibers from becoming airborne.
This includes wearing disposable gloves, a P2-rated face mask, and safety goggles when disposing.
“Do not disturb or use and isolate the product,” the official said.
“Carefully double-wrap the sand, its container, and associated materials in 200-micron plastic bags, seal tightly with tape, and clearly label the package as asbestos waste.”
Asbestos cannot be disposed of with general waste and must be taken to resource management facilities.
After commissioning an independent health and safety risk assessment, Officeworks said the safety risk was “negligible” but recalled the products as a precaution.
Asbestos-contaminated mulch led to the closure of schools, hospitals and parks in Sydney in 2024, while historic rubbish dumping and legacy pollution were blamed for scars found in parks in Melbourne’s west.
Nearly 1,000 ACT homes have been found to be filled with loose-fill asbestos, installed by insulation company Mr Fluffy as far back as the 1970s.
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