Asbestos sand contamination also affecting New Zealand, after 70 Australian schools close

Early childhood centres and schools in New Zealand are following Australia's lead and hurrying to remove and dispose of potentially contaminated products after asbestos was found in a range of coloured play sand.

In both New Zealand and Australia a number of schools and childhood centres were closed on Monday for cleaning after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) published a recall notice for several colourful play sand products, saying that lab testing had detected tremolite and chrysotile asbestos.

A number of schools and preschools in the Australian Capital Territory and one in Brisbane shut on Friday after the ACCC issued a national recall notice on Wednesday for products supplied by Educational Colours.

Further recalls were then issued by Kmart and Target on Saturday for a 14-piece sand castle building set as well as blue, green and pink magic sand.

Asbestos is a prohibited substance in Australia and New Zealand that can cause several types of cancer when its fibres are inhaled or ingested.

The sand products used in sensory play at school were sold by retailers in Australia between 2020 and 2025, the ACCC said.

The ACCC said respiratory asbestos had not been detected in any of the tested samples.

"While the risk that any asbestos found is likely to be airborne or fine enough for inhalation is low, this may still pose a risk," it said.

Problem affects NZ too

In New Zealand, Early Childhood Council chief executive Simon Laube told Midday Report that the cost of testing for asbestos and then potentially disposing of products was significant, and called on the government to help.

"We're talking about young children in early childhood education and the adults who care for them and I think they deserve better than nothing really," he said.

Pharmacology lecturer Dr Ian Musgrave, from the University of Adelaide, said that while the types of asbestos found in the play sand, chrysotile and tremolite, were less hazardous than blue asbestos, all types of asbestos could cause mesothelioma (a rare lung cancer) and asbestosis (interstitial pulmonary fibrosis).

Dr Musgrave said asbestos typically caused lung issues and lung cancer from inhalation of crystalline fibres.

"Tremolite is typically non-fibrous, unlike the fibrous blue asbestos, but exposure to any asbestos type will increase the likelihood of lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis," he said.

While the risk was low, precautions should be taken anyway, Dr Musgrave said.

"The risk of asbestos-induced disease depends on the duration of exposure and the amount of inhaled fibres," he said.

"Light, short-term exposure rarely causes disease and one-off exposure is not a major risk."

Product 'widespread' across schools

As of Monday, more than 70 schools in the ACT were closed to allow for assessment and clean-up, the territory government said.

"In the interest of the safety of our students, staff and community we have decided to close some schools that have this product."

In New Zealand, more than 200 schools and childcare centres have sought advice from the country's education ministry.

The Ministry of Education said centres with the recalled sand should contact their regional office for more information and might want to request a refund from their supplier.

Some schools using the products closed as a precaution for asbestos testing.

The Ministry of Education said it could not confirm how many schools had closed in New Zealand but 150 schools and 90 early learning services had sent queries. 

The ministry said it was working closely with WorkSafe to provide advice on testing, remediation and closure decisions.

Wellington City Council is offering free disposal of the product at the city's Southern Landfill, asking people to double bag the sand and clearly label it with 'contains asbestos'.

Reuters/RNZ/ABC