Parents were told asbestos in play sand was low risk unless ‘pulverised’. But regulators hadn’t tested it themselves

Exclusive: ACCC updates some recall notices to say products ‘may cause risk to health’, contrary to previous claimsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSchools, retailers and government agencies assured parents that asbestos-contaminated play sand posed a low risk to their children’s health based on a supplier’s own assessment which was not independently verified, the Guardian can reveal.The now-contested public messaging spread quickly after a range of Educational Colours children’s sand products were pulled from shelves in November 2025 after samples were found to contain asbestos, which was followed