Source: Radio New Zealand
One of the affected play sand brands. Supplied / Product Safety NZ
Some schools in Canterbury have closed for asbestos testing because a brand of play sand they had been using has been found to contain asbestos.
On Saturday, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said four products sold by Kmart – the 14-piece sandcastle building set and the blue, green and pink Magic Sand sets – tested positive for tremolite, a form of asbestos associated with higher cancer risks at low exposure levels.
The findings expand an already significant recall that began last week, when rainbow sand products used widely in schools and childcare centres were found to be contaminated.
In posts to Facebook, Burnside Primary School, Clearview Primary, and Waitaha School said they had become aware recalled sand products had been used in their schools and were closed on Monday as a precaution while tests were done.
Rolleston’s Clearview Primary said it had identified one home base that used the recalled Kmart product. The school’s board of trustees said a further four classrooms had used other brands of kinetic sand, or kinetic sand that had been removed from its packaging, making its origin unclear.
“At this stage, there is no immediate risk to staff or students. However, out of an abundance of caution, we are closing the school on Monday, Tuesday and possibly Wednesday this week while all our teaching and learning spaces are professionally tested,” Clearview Primary said.
In a Facebook Post, Burnside Primary School said a recalled kinetic sand product sold at Kmart had been used in “some areas of our school”.
The school said while the risk to staff and students was considered very low, it had been advised by WorkSafe to close on Monday as a precaution to complete testing and ensure learning spaces were safe.
In a post to Facebook, Waitaha School said it was also closed on Monday.
“Waitaha School will be closed on Monday November 17 as we have become aware that a number of areas of the school across satellites and the base school have been exposed to various coloured sand brands that have been recalled. The Ministry of Education have advised the Board to close the school and arrange for an investigation and clean by professional asbestos cleaners,” the school said.
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment product safety spokesperson Ian Caplin said he understood how alarming the discovery would be for families.
“We appreciate that the presence of asbestos in products that are used by children will be concerning to parents and caregivers. We urge families who have purchased these products to stop using them immediately, secure them safely, and contact your local council for advice on where and how to dispose of the contaminated material safely,” he said.
“If you are a workplace, where you may have higher volumes of these products or more people may have come in contact with the products, you should contact a licensed asbestos assessor or removalist for immediate advice and support on your specific situation. A list of these is available on the WorkSafe website.”
The contaminated Kmart products include:
- 14-piece Sandcastle Building Set
- Blue Magic Sand
- Green Magic Sand
- Pink Magic Sand
The newly identified products are in addition to the previously recalled sands from Educational Colours and Creatistics:
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
