A Guardian investigation has uncovered that five children's toys sold in Britain contain asbestos, a banned substance in the UK due to its links to cancer and respiratory diseases. The discovery has led to a wave of product withdrawals, with over 30 toys removed from sale since January when asbestos was first found in toy sand.
Details of the Investigation
Laboratory tests commissioned by the Guardian analyzed six toys that were similar to items already recalled in the Netherlands but still available in the UK. Scientists at Brunel University's experimental techniques centre found asbestos fibres in five of them. Ashley Howkins, Brunel's lead scientific officer, warned: "Although the risk to health is small because the quantities of asbestos are small, there is still a risk. The younger the child exposed the more chance they have of developing symptoms."
Affected Products
The five products containing asbestos are:
- Fun Sand, Sand Art Bottle (manufactured by HTI Group, sold by Curious Minds)
- Glitter & Glow, Magical Sand Art (by KandyToys, available on Glowtopia)
- Sand Filled Weirdo (Amazon)
- Wordpad Montessori Sand Tray (Amazon)
- 4 Pack Stretchy Gorilla Toy (Amazon)
Amazon has removed the Weirdo and sand tray from sale and is investigating the gorillas. A spokesperson said: "When we identified safety concerns related to sand-based toys, we proactively removed affected products – including play sand and kits – from our European stores, and now require a test from an accredited lab prior to listing." Curious Minds issued a recall and refunds within an hour of being notified. Glowtopia said it would remove the sand art and contact customers while awaiting guidance from KandyToys. HTI and KandyToys were contacted for comment.
Regulatory Gaps
The findings expose disjointed safety regulation in post-Brexit Europe. Toys recalled in some EU countries after asbestos traces were found remain on sale in others, including the UK. The European Commission's Safety Gate system publishes only a partial list of recalls. Richard Clevers, an investigative journalist with Algemeen Dagblad, said: "Product warnings are piling up but differ from country to country and the European system intended to provide an overview is failing consumers."
Retailers have criticized the UK's product safety policy, which relies on manufacturers and importers to ensure safety. Post-Brexit laws removed powers to ban products without scientific evidence, placing the onus on businesses to test and report. Wendy Hamilton, owner of Curious Minds, said: "There is no requirement for independent verification before products reach the market. It's concerning that no alert was issued to UK retailers when similar products were recalled in the Netherlands."
Government Response
UK minister for product safety, Kate Dearden, stated: "It is deeply concerning toys are being sold with asbestos. We are continuing to investigate how these products entered the UK market. We have introduced new powers to ensure product safety is as robust as possible and are consulting on strengthening work to tackle unsafe products online."
Customers are advised to pack contaminated products in sealed double bags and seek council advice on disposal. The European Commission was contacted for comment.
