Five children's toys on sale in Britain have been found to contain asbestos, according to laboratory tests commissioned by the Guardian. The discovery raises concerns about the UK's product safety regime and exposes regulatory gaps between European countries, as similar items had already been recalled in the Netherlands.
The tests, conducted at Brunel University's experimental techniques centre, analysed six toys similar to those previously recalled for Dutch shoppers but still available in the UK. Five were found to contain asbestos fibres, which are illegal to sell in the UK due to the long-term risk of cancer and respiratory problems if inhaled.
The affected products include Fun Sand and Sand Art Bottle by HTI Group, sold by Curious Minds; Glitter & Glow Magical Sand Art by KandyToys, sold by Glowtopia; and three items from Amazon: Sand Filled Weirdo, Wordpad Montessori Sand Tray, and 4 Pack Stretchy Gorilla Toy. Amazon has removed the Weirdo and sand tray from sale and is investigating the gorillas. Curious Minds issued a recall and refunds within an hour of being notified by the Guardian, while Glowtopia said it would remove the sand art from its website.
The findings highlight the disjointed nature of safety regulation in post-Brexit Europe. While some EU countries have recalled toys containing asbestos, similar products remain on sale in the UK. The European Commission's Safety Gate system publishes only a partial list of recalls, leaving consumers and retailers in the dark.
Ashley Howkins, lead scientific officer at Brunel, said: 'Although the risk to health is small because the quantities of asbestos are small, there is still a risk. The younger the child exposed the more chance they have of developing symptoms.' Customers are advised to pack contaminated products in sealed double bags and seek council advice on disposal.
Wendy Hamilton, owner of Curious Minds, criticised the lack of independent verification before products reach the market and the absence of alerts when similar items are recalled abroad. UK minister for product safety Kate Dearden said: 'It is deeply concerning toys are being sold with asbestos... We are continuing to further investigate how products containing this have entered the UK market.'
