Two additional children’s sand kits sold through Amazon and TikTok have been withdrawn from sale after tests revealed they contained asbestos. The consumer rights organization Which? conducted the testing, uncovering the banned substance tremolite asbestos in the sand included in these kits.
One of the recalled products was marketed as a Montessori sand art tray and was available on both Amazon Marketplace and TikTok Shop. A second sand art tray, found for sale on TikTok Shop and by multiple sellers on Amazon Marketplace, also tested positive for asbestos contamination.
Sue Davies, head of consumer rights policy at Which?, expressed serious concern over the situation: “It is outrageous that online marketplaces are selling products which may expose children to asbestos, especially when some of these products had already been recalled by the OPSS.”
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In response, an Amazon spokesperson stated: “Customer safety is our top priority and we are taking this issue very seriously. We are currently removing all products in this category from our store while conducting further investigations, and the identified items have already been removed.”
Similarly, an eBay spokesperson confirmed: “We swiftly removed the items identified by Which? and are carrying out additional sweeps to uncover any similar listings.”
Since The Guardian first reported asbestos contamination in toy sand in January, more than 30 toys have been recalled by retailers. Experts warn that while the overall asbestos exposure risk is low due to small quantities, any exposure remains a concern, especially for young children.
Ashley Howkins, lead scientific officer at Brunel, emphasized: “The younger the child exposed, the greater the chance they have of developing symptoms.”
Investigative journalist Richard Clevers from Dutch news platform Algemeen Dagblad criticized the fragmented regulatory response, stating: “Product warnings are piling up but differ from country to country, and the European system intended to provide an overview is failing consumers. Anyone wanting to know which toys are affected must monitor the websites of different regulators across the continent.”