Coloured Play Sands: Key Safety Insights from AUT Asbestos Research
02 July 2026•BlueSafe Team•Source: Safe Work Australia
Recent research from Auckland University of Technology (AUT), conducted after the 2025 voluntary recall of asbestos-contaminated coloured play sands, reinforces the critical need for robust WHS management systems, clear policies and effective risk controls when managing children’s play materials in workplaces and public settings.
Safe Work Australia has noted new research undertaken by Auckland University of Technology (AUT) in the wake of the voluntary recall of several coloured play sand products across Australia and New Zealand in late 2025. These products were withdrawn from the market after asbestos contamination was identified.
The AUT study simulated typical children’s play activities using selected recalled coloured play sands that were found to contain asbestos. This research provides important preliminary insights into potential exposure scenarios and reinforces the need for rigorous hazard identification, risk assessment and control measures in any environment where play sand is supplied, used or stored.
The Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency (ASSEA) has made information about this work, including its preliminary findings, available on its website under the resource titled “AUT Research - preliminary findings on coloured play sands”. Persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) should review this information and consider its implications for their own work health and safety (WHS) practices, particularly in early childhood education, schools, councils and recreational facilities.
Asbestos is a prohibited substance in Australia, with a comprehensive ban and import prohibition in place since 2003 due to its well-established long-term health risks, including asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Any detection of asbestos in products intended for children’s use is therefore a serious WHS issue requiring immediate and systematic action.
PCBUs and duty holders are expected to manage asbestos risks through a structured WHS management system, supported by clear policies, safe work procedures and, where relevant, documented risk assessments. For organisations seeking to strengthen their governance and documentation, resources such as formal WHS management systems and policies can assist in embedding consistent, compliant practices across multiple sites and activities. Further information on WHS management systems is available at https://www.bluesafeonline.com.au/store/management-systems.
Where coloured sands or similar materials are handled by workers, contractors or educators, PCBUs should ensure that appropriate controls are in place, including verification of product safety, supplier assurance, and, if necessary, documented safe work method statements (SWMS) for higher risk tasks or environments. SWMS can help demonstrate that foreseeable risks have been considered and that practical control measures are in place to protect both workers and members of the public, including children.
For specific advice on how WHS laws and regulations apply in your jurisdiction, contact your local WHS regulator. They can provide guidance on duties related to asbestos, product recalls, incident reporting and risk management in workplaces where children’s play materials are present.
Additional asbestos-related guidance from a work health and safety perspective, including how to identify asbestos, assess risks and implement effective control measures, is available on Safe Work Australia’s asbestos webpage. Information on the November 2025 recall of coloured sand products, including regulatory updates and supporting materials, can also be accessed via Safe Work Australia’s website under “Recall of coloured sand products – November 2025”.