A total of 69 schools in the Australian Capital Territory will close on Monday after coloured play sand sold at Kmart and Target was recalled over asbestos concerns. The recall, issued on Saturday, came after traces of asbestos were detected in some product samples.
ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry said inspections of affected schools are ongoing and could take several days. Early air testing at all schools has returned “negative to airborne asbestos,” she added. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission described the risk of asbestos becoming airborne or inhaled as “low.”
The closures follow earlier warnings about asbestos in sand sold by Officeworks, which led to full or partial shutdowns at several schools and preschools in the ACT on Friday. New Zealand has also reported school closures due to similar concerns, with at least two schools scheduled for testing on Monday.
Berry noted that the recalled products are “even more widely used in our schools than the Officeworks products.” Over the weekend, State Emergency Service volunteers and school staff have been inspecting buildings and mapping all coloured sand in classrooms and playgrounds.
Up to 23 schools will remain open, either because they have only small quantities of the sand or none at all. The recalled products include the Active Sandtub 14-piece Sand Castle Building Set, as well as Blue, Green, and Pink Magic Sand.
The minister reassured parents that people who have had contact with the products do not require clinical assessment. She emphasized that while the risk is minimal, authorities are required to “eliminate risk as much as reasonably practicable.”
Asbestos, once commonly used in building materials, can release toxic fibres when disturbed. These fibres can cling to the lungs and, over time, may cause cancer. Both Australia and New Zealand prohibit the import or export of asbestos and any goods containing it.
The closures highlight ongoing concerns about asbestos exposure in schools and the importance of proactive measures to ensure student and staff safety. Inspections and air monitoring will continue throughout the coming days as authorities work to secure all affected sites.
