- Consumer group Which? has identified two additional children's sand kits, widely sold in the UK on platforms such as Amazon Marketplace and TikTok Shop, that contain tremolite asbestos, a prohibited and carcinogenic mineral.
- One of the recently recalled items, a Montessori sand art tray , was found to have asbestos in its sand, which poses a significant health risk as it can become airborne and cause severe lung diseases if inhaled.
- A second sand art tray, also sold on TikTok Shop and Amazon, remained available for purchase until May despite being subject to a recall by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) in March due to asbestos contamination, prompting the OPSS to update its original recall notice.
- Which? researchers also discovered tremolite asbestos in the GL Style Sand Bottle Art Heart or Stars set, bought from Asda and also available on eBay, contributing to more than 39 recall notices issued by the OPSS since November for asbestos-contaminated sand products.
- Following these findings, Which? is calling on the government to introduce robust legislation that mandates online marketplaces to exercise due care in preventing, identifying, and removing dangerous products, while the implicated retailers and platforms have stated they are taking action to remove affected items.
IN FULL
