Dozens of toys recalled in the UK after asbestos found in play sand | Product recalls
More than 30 children’s toys have been recalled in the UK after the Guardian newspaper revealed that play sand sold by Hobbycraft contained asbestos.
Over the past three months, other children’s products – from candle-making kits to flexible rubber toys – have been recalled by retailers including Tesco, Primark, Matalan and M&S after they were found to contain the substance.
Asbestos can cause cancer later in life if inhaled, and the UK bans the sale of products containing asbestos in any quantity. The affected toys are all thought to contain sand from mines in China, where asbestos fibers can occur naturally and labeling rules are less stringent.
In January, the Guardian reported that Hobbycraft had withdrawn Giant Box of Craft kits from sale after a customer warned about traces of asbestos in bottles of colored sand. The store said UK authorities did not warn of a risk and there was no evidence of harm to customers.
Following this story, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) published an advice note for traders on the most reliable tests and since then laboratories have reported an increase in requests from shops and manufacturers.
Which consumer group? He said the number of recalls over the past three months indicated a serious failure in safety checks.
Sue Davies, head of consumer protection policy at Which, said: “The Product Safety and Standards Office needs to take action and ensure appropriate checks 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.”
The Hobbycraft recall has led traders to question laboratory testing methods widely used in the industry over their inability to detect small amounts of asbestos. Products certified as safe were found to be contaminated when sent for a more reliable type of testing.
Contaminated play sand was already mobilized in November the government is calling back and the closure of schools and kindergartens in Australia and New Zealand. However, similar products are available in high street stores and online platforms in the UK and Europe.
Hobbycraft issued a national recall of the craft box two days after the Guardian expose. Customers have been instructed to double bag contaminated bottles and seek advice from the council on disposal. It has since recalled four more craft kits containing sand.
Campaigners have criticized the UK government for failing to take action against potentially dangerous toys following Australia’s recall. “It took an article in the Guardian to force UK authorities to address the potential threat to public health,” said Laurie Kazan-Allen, of the International Asbestos Ban Secretariat. “The UK recalls since then are a result of individual testing by manufacturers and dealers, not testing by UK authorities.”
Post-Brexit health and safety laws have removed the government’s power to ban products deemed to pose a health hazard without waiting for scientific evidence. Instead, the onus falls on exporters and retailers to test goods and notify OPSS if asbestos is found.
The government told the Guardian it was up to companies to ensure their property was safe and to take action if it was deemed dangerous.
Product Safety Minister Kate Dearden said: “It’s shocking that toys are being sold with asbestos. We’re taking action with new measures to strengthen consumer protection and crack down on irresponsible sellers. We’re working closely with the EU, Trading Standards and the toy industry to ensure businesses take immediate action, and any products that test positive for asbestos are being removed from sale and recalled.”
