Primark has urgently recalled two Halloween gonk decorations because they may be contaminated with asbestos, posing a risk to health. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) said the sand inside the two doorstep decorations may be contaminated with a small quantity of the dangerous building material.
Affected Products and Risks
The decorations, one featuring a pumpkin hat and the other a witch hat with grey hair, carry the model numbers 991174794 and 991179148 and the barcodes 212047125 and 212080261. The substance was used in building materials from the 1950s to the 1990s, but it was banned because it poses a risk to health even at low levels of exposure.
It can lead to a serious lung condition that presents with a persistent cough, wheezing, and extreme tiredness. The OPSS said: “The products present a risk to health as the sand sealed inside the gonks may be contaminated with a small quantity of asbestos.
"Asbestos is a banned substance because it poses a risk to health even at low levels of exposure. We recommend owners stop using the product immediately and keep out of the reach of children.”
Customer Guidance and Refund
Customers who have bought the items have been advised to place the gonk in a heavy-duty plastic bag if it is undamaged, double tape it securely, label it clearly and store it in a secure location out of the reach of children. If the product is damaged and the filling is accessible, owners should wear gloves and a mask to clean up the site where it was used using wet cloths to avoid generating dust. The item and cleaning materials should be double-bagged.
Customers can return the product to the nearest Primark store for a full refund. A receipt is not needed. Those unable to return the product should contact the local authority for guidance on the safe disposal of asbestos.
Recent Similar Recall
Recently, a similar situation occurred at Smyths Toys. It urgently recalled the Smyths Toys Wooden Cornhole Board with Bean Bags because the filling was thought to contain asbestos. Parents and guardians were urged to stop using it immediately, warning that the product made in China "presents a risk to health".
At the time, Sue Davies, head of consumer protection policy at Which?, said: “This is just the latest in a worrying trend of recalls involving this deadly substance, which raises serious questions about the effectiveness of product safety checks that should have prevented these products from ever reaching consumers."
