South Australia's education minister is demanding an urgent nationwide investigation into a growing health scare, after asbestos-contaminated play sand led to the shutdown of nearly 450 schools across the country.
Minister Demands Answers on Border Failure
State Education Minister Blair Boyer has publicly called for a federal inquiry to determine how coloured kinetic sand, tainted with the toxic substance asbestos, was able to be imported into Australia and end up on retail shelves. "I want to know how this stuff got through our borders, how it ended up on the shelves of major retailers like Kmart and Target, and then in schools, preschools and thousands of households," Mr Boyer stated on Wednesday 19 November 2025.
He confirmed he had written to the federal government, pressing for an investigation into the product's origin. "What are the checks that occur with products like this?" he asked, highlighting the particular concern that a product "made and marketed towards kids" could bypass safety protocols.
National Recall and Tracing the Source
The crisis escalated on Tuesday when South Australia added hundreds more schools to the list of affected sites. This follows a national recall issued the previous week by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) after tests confirmed traces of asbestos in multiple coloured sand products.
Deputy chair of the commission, Catriona Lowe, revealed to ABC News that some of the contaminated products have been traced back to a quarry in China. While she could not yet name the specific company responsible, she confirmed that the investigation is ongoing. "We are continuing to obtain information on a daily basis, but the focus has been in making sure that the public has got the information that they need," Ms Lowe said.
The regulator's initial action was a voluntary recall for coloured sand supplied by Educational Colours and Officeworks. This was quickly followed by major retailers Kmart and Target withdrawing similar products from sale.
Understanding the Health Risks
On its website, Educational Colours Pty Ltd, the company that issued the recall, stated that independent testing had detected traces of naturally occurring tremolite asbestos in some samples. They cited expert advice suggesting the safety risk was "negligible" but initiated the recall as a precaution.
However, tests have since identified two forms of the hazardous material – tremolite and chrysotile asbestos – in various products. The scale of the issue is significant, with more than 1,000 schools and early learning centres nationwide reporting use of the sand in classroom activities.
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring minerals composed of microscopic, heat-resistant fibres. When disturbed, these fibres can become airborne and, if inhaled, lodge deep in the lungs. Prolonged exposure is directly linked to serious diseases including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.
In a note of cautious relief regarding this specific incident, the commission has indicated there is a "low risk" of the asbestos in the sand becoming fine enough to be inhaled.
