Law firm Slater and Gordon is providing a stark warning to parents around ‘harmless’ sand-based toys and craft kits, after asbestos was found in various toys in retailers such as Smyths Toys and Asda.
Exposure to asbestos presents a serious risk to children’s health and can lead to the fatal lung cancer, mesothelioma.
Since the start of 2026, around a 100 children’s toy and craft kits have been recalled over fears of asbestos contamination.
Now, Industrial Disease Solicitor Ryan O’Hara has issued a strict warning to parents and said: “Over the last few months, there have been a wave of product recalls following the discovery of asbestos in children's toys, craft kits, sand art and more.
"Currently there are well over 100 toys that have been recalled from high street retailers and online marketplaces. Contaminated ‘play’ sand has been imported from overseas, originating from quarries where asbestos is also present in the mining area.
"Researchers in New Zealand have proved that normal play will release asbestos fibres from the contaminated sand. This is not just a hypothetical risk the public are faced with, but a clear and proven risk of asbestos exposure."
The use of asbestos in building materials and consumer products was banned in the UK in 1999. Even so, the substance remains present in many older and pre-2000 buildings and strict regulations are in place to minimise the risk of exposure. However, recent recalls involving children's toys have raised particular concern, as asbestos shouldn't be present in any products let alone those intended for use by children.
Retailers, including Aldi, Tesco and The Entertainer, have been affected by the product recall, with initial reports linked to asbestos being found in coloured play sand sold by Hobbycraft. Following the discovery, further testing was prompted across the industry leading to additional recalls.
As Ryan explains, symptoms of asbestos-related disease will not appear for years. He said: "The latency period for diseases caused by asbestos can span decades, a child exposed today could face terminal illness later in life.
"The worst part is that children exposed to asbestos have a much higher lifetime risk of developing mesothelioma than their adult counterparts."
Only time will tell if the asbestos-containing toys have impacted any children, but the law firm is providing a stark warning to parents to keep aware of safety risks in toys.
Ryan provided the following guidance to parents and said: "Parents should be careful and remain vigilant if any toys are subject to any product recalls. If parents have items which are affected, they should follow the recall guidance and keep a record of the item, its manufacturer and distributor, as well as the retailer they bought it from.
"Alongside this, parents should take time to read product labels or safety information to identify any safety issues.
"The recent recalls surround coloured sand or sand-filled toys. It is worth taking time to check Government product safety alerts or the official recall page. The absence of a product on the recall list doesn’t necessarily guarantee that it is asbestos free, it may simply be that it has not been tested yet.
"These risks are even greater when travelling abroad or buying toys manufactured abroad, due to product safety requirements varying from country to country, so be mindful of this when buying children's toys abroad and in particular when outside of the EU.
"Asbestos should never be present in children's toys, and the recent recalls are an important reminder for parents to stay informed and to act if there are any concerns for safety."
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