Parents across Australia are being urged to immediately stop their children from using a popular sand castle building kit, following the discovery that the product may contain asbestos. The urgent recall affects the 14-piece Sand Castle Building Set sold at major retailers Kmart and Target, both in-store and online.
Details of the Recall and Affected Products
The decision to recall the product came after laboratory analysis detected the presence of asbestos in some samples of the coloured sand. The kits, which are widely used for sensory play and beach activities, are sold in clear, blue, green, and pink containers. A formal notice from Kmart stated: 'The product is being recalled because the sand may include asbestos, which is a prohibited substance in Australia.' The notice emphasised that while respirable asbestos fibres were not detected, meaning the dangerous kind that can be inhaled is not currently present, a significant risk remains if the sand is crushed or pulverised.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) provided further clarification, noting: 'The release of respirable asbestos fibres is unlikely to occur in its current state. However, the risk that any asbestos found could become airborne is low but not zero.' This highlights the potential danger if the product is mishandled.
Identifying Your Product and Safe Disposal
Consumers are being asked to check the batch numbers on their products. The specific batches sold at Kmart are: 42975724 (clear container), 42304364 (blue), 42919650 (green), and 42304371 (pink). The batch sold at Target is 69581984. This recall is part of a wider safety issue, as the same sand kit was recalled earlier in the week after being sold at Officeworks, Educating Kids, Modern Teaching Aids, and Zart Art from January 1, 2020, to October 31, 2025.
WorkSafe ACT has issued stern disposal instructions. Customers should not throw the product in general waste. Instead, they must 'Isolate the product. Carefully double wrap the sand, its container, and any related materials in 200-micron plastic bags, seal securely with tape, and clearly label the package as asbestos waste.' The wrapped product should then be taken to an approved disposal facility.
Broader Impact and School Closures
The crisis escalated significantly when 15 primary schools and three preschools in the ACT were abruptly closed after traces of chrysotile asbestos were found in similar coloured sand used for craft and sensory play. The territory's education department stated that while the risk of exposure was considered low, student safety was the highest priority, prompting immediate closures for testing.
This incident is part of a troubling pattern of asbestos contamination in Australia during 2024, which has previously led to the closure of schools, hospitals, and parks in Sydney, and discoveries in parks in Melbourne's west. The current recall also includes batches of Creatistics Coloured Sand 1 kg and Kadink Sand 1.3kg.
