A widening asbestos-contaminated sand scare has led to the closure of at least eight schools across New Zealand today, as a growing national recall continues to escalate. The Indian Weekender reports that the issue intensified over the weekend after more Kmart products were added to a rapidly expanding list of coloured sand items that tested positive for tremolite asbestos. The Ministry of Education confirmed that by Sunday afternoon, around 150 schools and 90 early learning centres had urgently contacted officials for guidance. WorkSafe inspectors were deployed to 150 locations linked to distributor records, prioritising “sensitive purchasers” such as hospitals, libraries, and youth organisations.
Canterbury Schools Close as Precaution
Several Canterbury schools-including Burnside Primary, Clearview Primary, Knights Stream School, Gilberthorpe School, Spreydon School, Addington School, Redwood Primary, and Waitaha School-announced temporary closures out of caution. Testing is expected to take place over the coming days, and some schools may remain closed based on Ministry advice. Sean Teddy, the Ministry's operations and integration leader, said urgent bulletins were issued over the weekend to help schools manage the evolving situation. He acknowledged that the discovery of asbestos in products used by children will understandably cause worry for families and urged parents with concerns to contact Healthline.
WorkSafe Assessment Underway
WorkSafe stated that its priority is understanding the scale of the issue and ensuring institutions know how to manage potential contamination. Enforcement action may follow only in cases where safe disposal guidelines are deliberately ignored. Health officials emphasised that while one-off low-level exposure to asbestos is considered low risk, repeated or prolonged contact increases the danger.
Kmart Products Added to Recall
Four Kmart items were confirmed to contain asbestos following testing: the 14-piece Sandcastle Building Set, Anko Blue Magic Sand, Anko Green Magic Sand, and Anko Pink Magic Sand. Families are urged to immediately stop using these products, secure them safely, and seek council advice on proper disposal. These items join other recalled products, including those from Kadink, Educational Colours, and Creatistics.