The Australian government has ordered the closure of dozens of schools after toxic asbestos fibers were detected in children's play sand.
The Australian Education Department stated that, following tests revealing play sand contaminated with chrysotile asbestos, 71 schools in the capital Canberra were closed on the 17th.
Officials said: "Based on regulatory obligations and for the safety of students, staff, and the community, we have decided to close the schools that have used these products in order to assess, clean up, and carry out remediation work."
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber that was widely used in building materials due to its heat-resistant properties. However, research has found a correlation between prolonged exposure to chrysotile asbestos and lung cancer.
The Australian product safety regulatory agency said that current tests have not found any inhalable fine fibers, and the associated risk remains low.
The regulatory agency pointed out that unless the sand is crushed or ground through mechanical processing, it is unlikely to release inhalable asbestos fibers. Any potential for asbestos particles to become airborne or small enough to be inhaled is very low.
Meanwhile, on the 18th, the New Zealand Ministry of Education announced that several buckets of children's play sand imported from China were found to contain asbestos contaminants, and many schools in the country have been ordered to suspend classes.
A spokesperson for the New Zealand Ministry of Education said that 40 schools and day care centers in the country have already closed in order to trace and remove the decorative sand.
The New Zealand WorkSafe agency pointed out that these sand products are reportedly imported from China and can be used for classroom activities as well as other decorative and craft uses at home.