By Robert Stancombe, Principal Consultant & Vince Shiers, Managing Director
In this article we will discuss the numerous product recalls of different children’s toys that have occurred in 2026 in the UK due to the possible presence of asbestos.
The incident was initially discovered due to a series of random events including an Australian laboratory testing sand during a staff training programme and the resolute action of a UK parent who decided not to wait for the authorities and sent samples to an accredited laboratory for asbestos testing.
This article will consider what asbestos is and where it comes from; how toys became contaminated; the types of products and number of products affected; the safety and legal implications; why it was not detected earlier; and what should be done to prevent this issue recurring.
Background
The UK issue described in this article followed an earlier contamination incident first identified in Australia in late 2025, when the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission[1] issued recalls for children’s sand products after laboratory testing detected tremolite asbestos in some samples.
The ACCC’s action was as a result of a chance discovery by an independent laboratory that tested some sand samples as part of their staff training programme[2]. The issue was subsequently found to affect similar sand-based products in New Zealand[3], the UK and parts of Europe.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos[4] is a generic group name for naturally occurring silicate minerals with thin, fibrous crystals. It is generally divided into two sub-groups; serpentine and amphiboles:
- Serpentine asbestos including chrysotile or white asbestos.
- Amphibole fibres including crocidolite-blue asbestos, amosite-brown asbestos, tremolite, actinolite and anthophyllite.
Chrysotile (white asbestos) is a serpentine mineral with soft, curly fibres that is far less hazardous than amphiboles. Historically, Serpentine asbestos (chrysotile) was the most commonly used type of asbestos. It accounted for over 90%[5] of global commercial asbestos use in products like cement, brake linings, and pipes.
Tremolite is an amphibole mineral with brittle, straight, needle-like fibres and is also frequently found as a natural geological contaminant in commercial chrysotile deposits. It was rarely mined or used on its own for commercial manufacturing.
How were toys affected?
The affected toys, such as sand art kits, sensory trays and stretchy toys, rely on sand or mineral fillers that were sourced from mines in China[6]. In these specific regions, asbestos minerals (like tremolite and chrysotile) can occur naturally alongside the sand deposits. Therefore, during the mining process, the sand can be inadvertently contaminated with raw asbestos fibres.
What products were affected?
Between January 2022 and June 2026 there have been a total of 43 recalls of toys and children’s craft goods, many of which affected multiple products. There was a significant increase in 2026, following the Australian incident, which accounted for 95% of the total UK recalls during that period.
Table showing asbestos-related recalls in toys in the UK, 2022 – Jun 2026
| Year | Recalls |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 | 41 |
The affected products were produced by major international businesses as well as smaller operations. The products included:
- Sand art and craft kits that have ultra fine, multi-coloured sand for layering into patterns
- Stress toys including stretchy and squishy toys
- Toy archaeology and science kits
- Play sand and related products
What is the legal and health situation?
It has been illegal to import or sell any product containing any quantity of asbestos in the UK since 1999[7]. The complete ban of asbestos in the EU was not fully introduced until 2005 and is covered by the REACH regulations[8].
Asbestos is unsafe because inhaling its microscopic fibres causes severe, irreversible, and often fatal lung diseases. When materials containing asbestos are damaged, disturbed, or degrade over time, they release a fine dust into the air.
There are several diseases linked to asbestos:
- Mesothelioma: An aggressive, incurable cancer of the lining of the lungs or abdomen. It is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure.
- Asbestosis: Severe, progressive scarring of the lung tissue that permanently restricts breathing.
- Lung Cancer: Malignant tumours that develop in the lungs, with a risk that multiplies exponentially if the exposed person smokes.
- Pleural Plaques: Thickening and hardening of the membrane surrounding the lungs, which can cause pain and breathing difficulties
How was this issue identified?
The UK contamination incident initially came to light in January 2026 when a parent[9] in the UK who had purchased a Hobbycraft play sand kit decided to have it tested in a laboratory. They had noticed that the coloured sand bottles in the kit looked identical to sand products that were being recalled in Australia. The positive result for the presence of trace levels of fibrous tremolite asbestos triggered further independent laboratory testing by media outlets like The Guardian newspaper and consumer groups like Which[10]? This discovery led to a major product recall and widespread safety checks across the UK.
Product testing
Consumer product companies and specifically reputable toy companies carry out extensive product testing to ensure compliance with international standards and regulations. However, asbestos is traditionally thought of as an industrial construction hazard and so standard consumer product safety checks would rarely screen raw toy sand for it.
Countries like China and the US have historically allowed products to be labelled “asbestos-free” even if they contain up to 1% asbestos by weight for the US[11] and up to 5% for China[12]. This gap can mean that a Chinese factory can legally export sand that its local laws classify as “safe,” but which violates safety standards at the destination country. In addition, many international manufacturers rely on supplier declarations rather than doing their own laboratory testing.
Scanning raw materials using specialised methods requires accredited laboratories and is too costly for cheap, mass-produced toys. So, manufacturers need to be selective in their product test programmes, following a risk-based approach.
What is the latest guidance for businesses?
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) published specific guidance in 2026 on asbestos in consumer products[13] and also published guidance on testing for asbestos in sand[14]. The guidance recommends SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) coupled with EDX (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) or TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) as they can more reliably detect low concentrations and fine fibres in products such as toys, hobby items, and decorative products. It clarifies the expectations of businesses delivering their legal responsibilities for product safety, when assuring the absence of asbestos in sand-containing toys they place on the market.
In addition, a joint statement from OPSS, the UKHSA (United Kingdom Heath Security Agency) and the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) has been issued[15]. This provides clarity to businesses on their regulatory responsibilities in relation to products they make, import or sell in relation to potential contamination with asbestos; provides information to the public on what to do if they think they own or have come into contact with products subject to an asbestos-related product recall; and advises the public about the level of risk of any contact they may have had with recalled products or concerns about purchases of similar products.
Finally…
This widespread incident came about by chance testing in an Australian laboratory. That lead to action by the Australian and New Zealand authorities. Subsequently, a UK parent took the unusual action of arranging their own testing. The resulting recalls impacted many product and many companies.
Whilst this is a very unusual case, it highlights the importance that companies must continue to assess risks in their supply chain, carry out horizon scanning and monitor similar products in other territories for advance warning on incidents. This should all be supported by a robust product recall team and plans.
[1] Customers warned of recalled children’s sand due to asbestos risks https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/customers-warned-of-recalled-children%E2%80%99s-sand-due-to-asbestos-risks
[2] Asbestos contamination of children’s sand was a fluke discovery in an Australian lab https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-18/asbestos-sand-contamination-chance-discovery-in-australian-lab/106022486
[3] Asbestos in sand products https://www.productsafety.govt.nz/for-consumers/using-products-safely/asbestos-in-sand-products
[4] Asbestos: general information, UK Health Security Agency https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asbestos-properties-incident-management-and-toxicology/asbestos-general-information
[5] What Are the Different Types of Asbestos? https://www.asbestos.com/asbestos/types/
[6] Dozens of toys recalled in the UK after asbestos found in play sand https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/apr/27/dozens-of-toys-recalled-in-the-uk-after-asbestos-found-in-play-sand
[7] The Asbestos (Prohibitions) (Amendment) Regulations 1999,
[8] REACH Regulation as regards asbestos fibres https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32016R1005
[9] Hobbycraft play sand recall https://www.seftoneducation.uk/Article/182849
[10] Asbestos found in sand kits sold on Amazon, Asda, eBay and TikTok Shop, Which? reveals https://www.which.co.uk/policy-and-insight/article/asbestos-found-in-sand-kits-sold-on-amazon-asda-ebay-and-tiktok-shop-which-reveals-aq3Qd7G9jfQ5
[11] Toxic and Hazardous Substances https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1001
[12] The Brussels Times https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/1963999/belgian-minister-urges-public-not-to-buy-chinese-junk-after-asbestos-found-in-childrens-sand?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1770734307
[13] Asbestos in consumer products https://www.gov.uk/guidance/asbestos-in-consumer-products
[14] Testing for asbestos in sand https://www.gov.uk/guidance/testing-for-asbestos-in-sand
[15] Joint Statement on Asbestos in Consumer Products https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-on-asbestos-in-consumer-products