• Asbestos found in children’s playing sand in UK
• Exposure can lead to cancer over time

Regulators in the United Kingdom have ordered the withdrawal of more than 30 children’s products after play sand was found to be contaminated with asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral fibre known for its serious health risks. The substance is used in some industrial applications but is strictly banned in consumer goods due to its danger if inhaled.

Over the past three months, the recalls have also included other children’s items such as candle-making kits and stretchable rubber toys after testing confirmed the same contamination.

Asbestos is considered highly hazardous because breathing in its microscopic fibres can cause life-threatening cancers and other diseases years after exposure. The UK enforces a zero-tolerance policy on its presence in consumer products. Investigations suggest the contaminated sand may have originated from mines in China, where asbestos fibres can occur naturally and testing standards are less strict.

Consumer safety groups have called for tighter oversight, urging authorities to increase inspections and prevent unsafe goods from reaching shops, including online marketplaces that are harder to regulate.

Some traders have also raised concerns about the reliability of standard laboratory testing methods, after more sensitive re-tests detected contamination in products previously certified as safe.

The issue first came to attention after similar cases in Australia and New Zealand last November, where contamination led to school and nursery closures, although comparable products continued to circulate in UK and European markets.

In Britain, one craft kit was initially withdrawn following a media investigation, with consumers instructed to seal affected items and dispose of them safely under local authority guidance, before wider recalls followed.

Critics say official action has been slow, arguing that most interventions were triggered by media reporting and independent testing rather than routine regulatory checks.

The UK government maintains that responsibility for product safety lies with manufacturers and importers, and says it is strengthening enforcement and coordination with regulators to ensure hazardous goods are removed from sale immediately.