Fears of asbestos-contaminated sand have forced at least eight schools to close today, as a widening product recall continued to grow over the weekend. Reported by 1News.
The recall expanded on Saturday when several Kmart products were added to an increasing list of coloured sand brands that tested positive for asbestos.
According to the Ministry of Education, by 2pm on Sunday around 150 schools and 90 early learning centres had contacted officials seeking urgent advice.
WorkSafe said inspectors were visiting 150 affected customers today to understand the scale of the issue, with priority given to “sensitive purchasers” such as hospitals, libraries, and youth organisations.
Several Canterbury-region schools confirmed closures today “out of an abundance of caution,” with testing expected in the coming days. Schools temporarily closed include:
Burnside Primary
Clearview Primary
Knights Stream School
Gilberthorpe School
Spreydon School
Addington School
Redwood Primary
Waitaha School
Some institutions indicated they may remain closed for several days based on Ministry of Education guidance.
Sean Teddy, the ministry’s leader of operations and integration, said urgent bulletins were issued to schools on Saturday and Sunday as the situation evolved.
“We appreciate that the presence of asbestos in products used by children will cause worry for parents and caregivers,” Teddy said.
“We recommend they contact Healthline with any concerns about children who may have come into contact with these products.”
He added that the ministry was working closely with MBIE and WorkSafe to support testing, remediation, and closure decisions.
WorkSafe confirmed that inspectors were dispatched to 150 customers identified through distributor records.
“Our inspectors will be conducting assessments at retailers and prioritising sensitive purchasers such as hospitals, libraries and youth clubs,” a spokesperson said.
The agency will initially focus on gathering information and ensuring duty holders understand how to identify and manage potential asbestos contamination.
Enforcement action would only occur where asbestos disposal guidelines were “knowingly disregarded,” posing risks to others.
WorkSafe said it had so far received 16 concerns from schools and ECEs relating to the sand recall.
Health officials reiterated that the risk of harm from one-off, low-level exposure to asbestos is considered low, though risk increases with repeated or prolonged exposure.
Anyone with concerns is advised to contact their GP or Healthline, but officials said urgent medical attention is not required for those who have simply handled the affected products.
Four additional products sold at Kmart were confirmed to contain tremolite asbestos following laboratory testing. The contaminated items include:
14-piece Sandcastle Building Set
Anko Blue Magic Sand
Anko Green Magic Sand
Anko Pink Magic Sand
“We urge families who have purchased these products to stop using them immediately, secure them safely, and contact your local council for advice on safe disposal,” said MBIE product safety spokesperson Ian Caplin.
Workplaces holding larger quantities of the product are advised to consult a licensed asbestos assessor or removalist.
Caplin said proactive testing of similar products was ongoing, and it was still unclear whether other items may also be contaminated.
Last week, tremolite asbestos was detected in several other brands, triggering recalls of:
Kadink Decorative Sand 10g six-pack
Kadink Sand (1.3kg)
Educational Colours Rainbow Sand (1.3kg)
Creatistics Coloured Sand (1kg)
Authorities have issued the following safety instructions:
Stop using the product immediately.
Keep children away from any suspected coloured sand.
Place the sand in a sealed container, double-bag it in thick plastic, tape securely, and clearly label it as “Asbestos-Contaminated Material.”
Do not vacuum the sand or dispose of it with regular household rubbish.
Contact your local council for disposal guidance.
Refer to clean-up instructions on the Health NZ “Asbestos in Sand” webpage.
Once secured, contact the retailer for a refund under the Consumer Guarantees Act.
For more advice, call the MBIE Consumer Line: 0508 426 678
Immediate advice for Workplaces: