More than 70 public schools in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) were closed on Monday after the consumer regulator recalled several children's sand products over asbestos fears. The recalls, issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), cover products sold at major retailers including Officeworks, Kmart and Target.
Last week, the ACCC recalled items sold at Officeworks, which also voluntarily recalled additional products. On Sunday, the watchdog recalled a different range of children's sand from Kmart and Target, following laboratory tests that detected asbestos in some samples. The developments prompted further school closures in Tasmania and New Zealand.
Despite the closures, the ACCC has stated that the risk to children is low. The affected products have been withdrawn from shelves, and investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the contamination.
