Asbestos Contamination Discovered in UK Children's Play Sand
The craft retailer Hobbycraft has withdrawn bottles of children's play sand from sale after a concerned parent discovered the product was contaminated with asbestos fibres. The parent, who wishes to remain anonymous, raised the alarm after her children played with the sand at a party, prompting her to send samples to an accredited testing laboratory.
Laboratory Testing Reveals Asbestos Traces
The laboratory analysis confirmed that three out of five colours in Hobbycraft's Giant Box of Craft arts kit contained fibrous tremolite asbestos. The parent stated she became concerned after noticing the bottles looked extremely similar to play sand products that had been recalled in Australia following similar asbestos discoveries.
"I am getting increasingly upset thinking that kids are being exposed unnecessarily," the parent said, expressing her frustration that Hobbycraft had withdrawn the product but declined to issue a formal recall notice.
Hobbycraft's Response and Government Criticism
Hobbycraft confirmed they had voluntarily removed the product from sale as a precaution while conducting independent testing. A company spokesperson stated: "We will update customers as soon as we are in a position to do so." The retailer maintained there was no evidence of harm to customers and noted that no UK authority had warned of a risk.
However, a government source criticised this approach, stating: "Parents are right to be concerned by this. Officials are investigating, but there's no good reason why Hobbycraft shouldn't recall this themselves, given the evidence."
Post-Brexit Regulatory Gaps Exposed
The incident highlights significant gaps in UK health and safety law following Brexit. The so-called "precautionary principle," which allowed the government to restrict products thought to pose serious health threats without requiring scientific evidence, was abolished when product safety legislation was redrafted after Brexit.
Current regulations rely on exporting countries to alert UK authorities to problem products, leaving authorities unable to issue recalls without hard evidence of harm to health. All affected play sand products are manufactured in China, where items containing less than 5% asbestos can legally be labelled asbestos-free, whereas UK law states there is no safe limit for asbestos exposure.
Expert Warnings and Campaigner Concerns
Professor Kevin Bampton, CEO of the British Occupational Hygiene Society, criticised the government for refusing to reinstate powers to withdraw potentially hazardous goods when product safety laws were revised last year. "We know that there is no way that every product landing on British doorsteps can be tested individually for safety," he said, describing the situation as a missed opportunity for regulatory improvement.
Bampton added: "We do have the precautionary principle for the environment, which means that bats and newts in some ways have better protection than people working in Britain and, potentially, our children."
Health Risks and International Precedents
The discovery comes two months after asbestos traces found in similar play sand products in Australia prompted a government recall and the closure of schools and nurseries across Australia and New Zealand. According to the British Occupational Hygiene Society, the immediate health risk to children who played with the contaminated sand is likely to be low due to the small quantities involved.
However, Professor Bampton warned that the long-term risks of asbestos exposure remain poorly understood, stating: "This issue should be a wake-up call for regulatory change, so governments can be proactive, act fast and protect human health from risks before they protect profit."
Government Defence of Current Regulations
The Department for Business and Trade rejected claims that UK product safety laws are inadequate. A spokesperson stated: "We have some of the most robust product safety laws in the world and any product being put on the UK market by businesses must meet our strict criteria."
Despite this assurance, the incident has raised serious questions about the effectiveness of current regulatory frameworks in protecting consumers from potentially hazardous imported products, particularly those intended for children's use.
