More than 70 ACT public schools closed over health fears from asbestos-contaminated children’s play sand | Australia news

More than 70 public schools in the ACT were closed on Monday amid growing fears over children’s play sand products that may contain asbestos.

The district’s education department decided to close its doors after finding “widespread” use of colored play sand products sold at Kmart and Target, which were recalled over the weekend.

In a recall notice published on Sunday, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said: Asbestos was detected in laboratory tests in some examples of recalled products.

It warned that although children were unlikely to inhale airborne asbestos from the products, the products “may pose a health risk”.

More than a dozen primary schools and nurseries in the ACT were closed in full or part last week, two of them by local wholesaler Shamrock Australia and another two by art supplies company Educational Colours, after another children’s sand product was recalled by the ACCC on Wednesday.

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The latest recall was for Kmart Australia’s Active Sandtub 14-piece Sand Castle Building Set, sold at both Kmart and Target, and Magic Sand tubs in blue, green and pink, sold only at Kmart.

Kmart and Target voluntarily recalled the products on Saturday.

Asbestos is a dangerous substance that can cause fatal diseases and has been banned in Australia since 2003. It is not allowed to be imported into the country except in very limited circumstances.

The ACCC said no respirable (airborne) asbestos was detected in any of the samples tested and that “the release of respirable asbestos fibers in its current state is unlikely to occur unless the sand has been processed by mechanical means such as crushing or pulverising”.

However, they advised consumers to immediately stop using the products and follow safe asbestos disposal methods.

Guidelines Instruct clients to wear gloves, a mask, and disposable coveralls, place the sand in a heavy-duty plastic bag, double-tape it securely, and store it away from children. Sand should be disposed of at: an authorized facility.

Since the recall, the ACT education department has inspected all public schools in the region for commonly used Kmart and Target products. The directorate found that sand was stocked in 69 schools, in three schools it was stocked in small “isolated” quantities that “did not affect learning”, and in 20 schools it was not stocked at all.

The ACT government closed 71 schools on Monday “in the interest of the safety of our students, staff and community” to evaluate and clean up products.

Commonwealth government health department recommendation“National regulators and agencies are collaborating with multiple health authorities to ensure precaution, consistency and public safety across the country as the situation evolves,” the report released Friday said.

He said the products pose “low risk to human health” and, based on available information, there is no need to visit a doctor after exposure to them.

“The recall is a precautionary measure based on preliminary results and more comprehensive scientific testing is ongoing,” the advisory said.

Staff and families at closed schools will be contacted with updates and a public school helpline has been set up on 13 22 81.

In New South Wales, the education department said no schools were currently closed in the state due to sand. A safety alert was issued Friday for all public schools in the state as a precaution to “immediately and safely remove these sand products, if present.”