Sydney, Australia – November 21, 2025 – Aโ Sydney family who used potentially asbestos-contaminated coloured sand during Diwali celebrations โขareโข calling for clear action โขpoints from retailers adn โhealth authorities, as the nationwide fallout from the product continues. The sand, sold at major Australian retailers including Woolworths, Officeworks, Kmart and Target since 2020, has prompted school closuresโ and health checksโข across multiple states.
The family, who wish to โขremain anonymous, used the sand in โขdecorative displays during their Diwali โfestivities earlierโค this month. โThey are now seeking guidance onโ potential healthโ risks โฃand appropriate safetyโ measures. “We were shocked to hear about the asbestos,” said a family spokesperson. “We had children playing near the sand, and we just โwant to knowโ whatโค steps we shouldโค take to ensure their safety.”
The discovery of asbestos – tremolite and chrysotile – โin the coloured sand led to โขthe snap closure โof โคsixteenโ public schools in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) โlast Friday, escalating to 70โ schools โby Monday as licensed asbestos removalists conducted cleaning and clearance operations.The products โwere also found in some Canberra Health Services sites,โข including Canberra Hospital and North Canberra Hospital.
ACT Health Ministerโข Rachel stephen-Smith stated yesterday that all identified sand products had been removed and disposedโ of,โ with qualified asbestos โฃassessors confirming no further action โขwas required โขat those sites.
Experts maintain the asbestos detected is present at “trace levels” and considered “very low risk.” University โขof Adelaide molecular pharmacologist Ianโ Musgrave explained, “It’s fairlyโข low level and also the material is inโ a form that it’sโ not easily breathed โinโฆ So unless you’ve โฃgot an industrial sand milling โmachine in your school โคit’s very unlikelyโ thatโ your children will be exposed to โฃfibres that can be โbreathedโ in and cause disease.”
However, the familyโฃ and concerned citizens are urging retailers and authorities to provide specific advice on handling andโ disposal of any remaining product, as โwell โฃas outliningโ long-termโค monitoring recommendations. the incident highlights ongoing concerns about โคproduct safety โคand supply chain oversight in Australia.