Source: Radio New Zealand
Sand that has been recalled due to potential asbestos contamination. Supplied
The process for getting rid of potentially asbestos-contaminated play sand should be more straightforward, an Auckland teacher says.
Several coloured play sand products have been recalled after tests found a naturally occurring asbestos.
About 40 schools and early childcare centres have closed, or planned to, because of the contamination fears.
Auckland specialist outreach teacher Stephanie Pye told Morning Report getting rid of the sand was not an easy process.
“The guidelines about how to package it up and then to not put it into the general rubbish have been clear, but I found that after that, where do you take it? What do you do with it?”
“I missed an opportunity to dispose of my sand with my particular school just because it happened so quickly and the nature of my role meant it couldn’t be collected at the time it was being collected … when I went to investigate how to dispose of it, where to take it, I found it really challenging to find the correct place.
“It was one place not within my hours that I could drop it off, and in addition to that I ended up having to pay for it if I wanted to dispose it that way.”
Cleaning up the sand was also a mission, Pye said.
“It gets everywhere, there’s little speckles of stuff everywhere and even cleaning it up it’s difficult to be reassured you’ve captured it all,” she said.
Several hundred schools and childhood centres have contacted the Ministry of Education for advice.
Health NZ advice
On its website, Health NZ said people did not need to take any immediate steps to manage their health if they had been exposed to the products.
“We appreciate that the presence of asbestos in products that are used by children may cause worry for parents and caregivers. We are working rapidly with other agencies to assess the health risk posed by these products and will share more information when it is available.
“At this stage we do not have enough information to quantify the risk to people’s health, but we advise people to take a precautionary approach and stop using the products.”
Health NZ said anyone using the products in their home should stop immediately and, if it was still in its original container, place it into a thick plastic bag sealed securely with tape.
“Place that bag or container into a second thick plastic bag, seal it securely with tape, and label it clearly as asbestos-contaminated material.”
It needed to be taken to a landfill rather than going in a normal bin, it said, and parents should contact their local council for advice on where to go.
If the sand was not in its original container, PPE should be worn while cleaning it up. It should be put in a sealed container or thick plastic bag. All surfaces surrounding where it was should be wiped down with a damp cloth.
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 recalled 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:
- EC Rainbow Sand (1.3kg)
- Creatistics Coloured Sand (1kg)
Full information was available here.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
