The $30 million recall campaign

Since November 2025 , the Office for Product Safety and Standards has issued over 39 recall notices for asbestos-contaminated sand products, with the latest incident occurring in north-east England.

The recalls have already prompted the closure of schools and public parks, highlighting the severity of the issue.

As the UK government faces growing pressure to introduce legislation that would impose clear dutiies on online platforms to exercise due care in preventing, identifying, and removing hazardous products, the situation remains 'outrageous', according to Sue Davies, Head of Consumer Rights Policy at Which?

Who is the unnamed buyer?

The investigation by consumer rights organization Which? revealed that two specific products tested positive for tremolite asbestos, a carcinogenic mineral banned from consumer products in the UK.

One kit, sold as a 'Montessori sand art tray', was listed on Amazon Marketplace and TikTok Shop , intended for educational play, helping children develop fine motor skills by drawing in sand.

However, laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of tremolite asbestos in the sand.

What auditors flagged in the May filing

The detection of tremolite asbestos in these toys is particularly alarming because the mineral's fibres can become airborne and, when inhaled, cause severe lung diseases including mesothelioma and asbestosis, even at low exposure levels.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies all forms of asbesots as human carcinogens.

In the UK, any product containing asbestos, regardless of quantity, is illegal to sell.

An echo of Sydney's 2024 institutional buy-up

The contamination is thought to originate from sand sourced from specific quarries in China , where tremolite occurs naturally .

Which? has criticized online marketplaces for failing to prevent dangerous products from reaching consumers, noting that some items had already been recalled.

Sue Davies, Head of Consumer Rights Policy at Which?, emphasized that seemingly harmless toys can pose serious health risks without proper safety checks.