Fears over asbestos-contaminated sand have led to the closure of at least eight schools today after a list of recalled products grew over the weekend.
The recall expanded on Saturday after multiple products sold at Kmart were added to a list of brands where asbestos had been detected in testing.
A Ministry of Education spokesperson said approximately 150 school and 90 early learning services had contacted officials over the issue as of 2pm Sunday.
WorkSafe inspectors were also visiting 150 customers today to assess the scope of problems, prioritising "sensitive purchasers such as hospitals, libraries and youth clubs".
Multiple schools in the Canterbury region were confirmed closed today out of an abundance of caution, with testing expected to follow in the coming days.
Closed institutions included Burnside Primary, Clearview Primary, Knights Stream School, Gilberthorpe School, Spreydon School, Addington School. Redwood Primary and Waitaha School. Several said they may remain closed for the next few days.
The closures were based on Ministry of Education advice.
The ministry's leader of operations and integration Sean Teddy said special bulletins were sent out to schools over the issue on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
"We appreciate that the presence of asbestos in products that are used by children will cause worry for parents and caregivers," he said in a statement.
"We recommend they contact Healthline with any health concerns they may have about their children who may have come into contact with these products."
He said the ministry was "working closely with MBIE and WorkSafe to provide schools and early learning services with advice on testing, remediation and closure decisions."
Inspectors to visit 150 sand customers
A WorkSafe spokesperson said inspectors were out in force to assess the issue at 150 customers "who were identified from the initial list provided by the three main distributors of the affected product".
"Our inspectors will be conducting assessments at retailers and will prioritise sensitive purchasers such as hospitals, libraries and youth clubs," they said in a statement.
"We will focus on information gathering to establish the scope of the issue."
They said WorkSafe was "making sure duty holders are well-informed about how to identify and manage any potential asbestos contamination, and sharing information and expertise with agencies to meet the needs of the wider public.
Inspectors would only be involved in enforcement "if there is evidence of asbestos disposal where guidance is knowingly disregarded, which may put others at risk".
WorkSafe received 16 concerns from schools or ECEs regarding coloured sand recalls.
Health officials have emphasised that asbestos risk from single, low-level exposures is considered to be low, but that it increases with exposure time and overall dosage.
People with health concerns have been urged to contact their GP or Healthline, but there was "no need for urgent medical attention" if they had simply used the product.
Kmart sand caught up in recall
Four additional products tested positive for tremolite asbestos, officials said on Saturday.
The products identified were a 14-piece Sandcastle Building Set, and Anko brand Blue, Green and Pink Magic Sand sets sold at Kmart.
"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," Ian Caplin, MBIE product safety spokesperson, said.
“If you are at 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."
Caplin said "proactive testing" of a range of similar products was underway.
"At this point, we cannot say for certain if these are the only products that are contaminated,” he said on Saturday.
Other similar products were recalled last week after Tremolite — a naturally occurring form of asbestos — was found in lab samples.
Products affected are labelled as Kadink Decorative sand 10g six-pack, Kadink Sand (1.3kg), Educational Colours Rainbow Sand (1.3kg) and Creatistics Coloured Sand (1kg).
Immediate advice for Consumers:
- Stop using the product immediately.
- Do not let children touch or play with the sand.
- Place the sand in a sealed container, then double-bag in thick plastic, seal with tape, and clearly label as “Asbestos-Contaminated Material.”
- Do not dispose of in household rubbish or vacuum it up. Contact your local council for advice on where and how to dispose of the contaminated material safely.
- Refer to the clean-up and disposal instructions in the Health NZ web page: Asbestos in sand
- Once secure, we encourage people to contact your retailer for a refund under the Consumer Guarantees Act.
- For further advice call the MBIE Consumer line 0508 426 678
Immediate advice for Workplaces:
- If the sand is in a sealed container, move it to a secure location away from people.
- If the sand is currently being used in your workplace, please instruct everyone to leave the area, block it off and make sure it is not accessible. Do not vacuum or sweep floors where there is sand or attempt to clean it up.
- Contact a licensed asbestos assessor or removalist for immediate advice and support on your specific situation. Details of Class A licensed removalists are available in the Asbestos Removal Licence Holders Register: Asbestos removal licence holders · Online services. Do not return to the affected area until the extent of contamination is established, and after the area is remediated by an expert.
- If individuals are currently using the sand, they should put it down and relocate to a sand-free, well-ventilated area.
- If you are an educational facility and have identified that the sand has been used at your site, please notify the Ministry of Education.
- All clothing worn during exposure must be disposed of as asbestos waste as part of personal decontamination.
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