Mass recall of more than 30 UK toys amid asbestos contamination fears
More than 30 different children’s toys sold in the UK have been recalled amid growing fears that many sand-containing products from China may be contaminated with asbestos.
Stores including M&S, Tesco, Primark and Matalan are among the latest retailers to sell products such as children’s candle making sets, flexible rubber toys and colored sand which are now being recalled.
All toys are believed to contain sand extracted from China, where asbestos occurs naturally but safety standards and labeling are less stringent.
The alarm was first raised in Australia at the end of last year, when 69 schools were forced to close after colored play sand was found to contain cancer-causing substances. A parent in the UK then sent samples of sand they had purchased from Hobbycraft to a testing lab and allegedly found traces of asbestos fibers in bottles of yellow, green and pink sand.
Investigations subsequently revealed traces of asbestos in a number of products sold in the UK by companies such as Asda, eBay and Amazon.
Asbestos is a banned substance because inhaling cancer-causing fibers poses a risk even at low levels.
Tesco’s Squishy Pugs toys, Funkee Sand toys and Paw Patrol Sand Art art set among products is being recalled.
Meanwhile M&S also sold it Paw Patrol products containing contaminated sand are being recalled, including the Paw Patrol Bumper Craft Set, as well as the set Addo Play Released to Impress Sand Art Creations.
Matalan remembered Pug Dog and Sausage Dog toys that may contain asbestos-contaminated sand, and Primark recalled The Stretcherz range of toys, which had previously been sold and was also recalled by Asda.
The government’s Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) said it was aware the failures would worry parents and was taking action against “irresponsible sellers”.
Minister for Product Safety Kate Dearden said: Independent: “It’s surprising that toys are being sold with asbestos and I know how worrying this will be for parents. We’re taking action with new measures to strengthen consumer protection and crack down on irresponsible sellers.”
“Our product safety laws are clear; businesses must ensure the products they sell are safe and take action when they sell unsafe products to consumers.
“We are working closely with the EU, Trading Standards and the toy industry to ensure businesses take immediate action and that any products that test positive for asbestos are removed from sale and recalled.”
A full list of products that may contain asbestos can be found on OPSS’ recall page. gov.uk website. People who have any of these are advised to stop using them immediately and keep them in a safe place out of reach of children. If the sand is still in its packaging, it should be placed in a heavy-duty plastic bag, double-taped securely with tape, and returned to the place of purchase.
Which consumer group? He stated that the number of recalls in the last three months points to a serious failure in safety checks and called for stronger steps from the government.
Which? Sue Davies, Head of Consumer Protection Policy, said: “OPSS needs to take action and ensure appropriate controls are in place to keep dangerous products off shelves.
“It should also examine whether toys containing asbestos are being sold on online markets where there are much more limited regulations.”
After recalling the affected products, Hobbycraft said: “We take the safety and quality of our products extremely seriously.
“Earlier this year, following a customer inquiry, we took immediate action to investigate concerns about sand-based craft products. As a precaution, we removed the affected products from sale and initiated further testing.
“While initial supplier testing and certification met the required standards, further testing detected trace levels of asbestos in certain products. We took swift action to notify the relevant authorities, including OPSS, and recalled customers.
“We have since removed all sand-based products from sale and continue to work closely with our suppliers and regulators to ensure the highest safety standards are met.”
Laurie Kazan-Allen, of the International Asbestos Ban Secretariat, said the UK was reminding that the first wave of concern following the discovery of asbestos in playing sand in Australia “was the result of individual tests carried out by manufacturers and sellers, not tests carried out by UK authorities”.
A spokesperson for Primark said: Independent: “On behalf of HTI, we have issued a product recall recalling a number of Stretcherz toys. This is due to trace levels of asbestos found during testing. The overall risk is low but may make the product unsafe. Products identified and affected by Primark include Stretch Squad Dinos, Med Stetcherz, Stetcherz Slammerz and Stetcherz Street Smash Car.”
“Customers are advised to return the product to stores where we will issue a full refund with no proof of purchase required.”
Independent It has contacted Tesco, M&S and Matalan for comment.
