AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands: Dutch laboratories have discovered traces of asbestos in play sand, leading to calls for it to be banned as a precaution, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
Fibres of the dangerous substance have been detected in at least 25 samples, Dutch media reported on Thursday.
The sand comes from China and can be bought in toy shops.
The Netherlands supervisory authority for food and goods has launched a comprehensive investigation. The authority says a decision on a possible sales ban will only be made once the results are available.
Reports of asbestos contamination in play sand were first documented in Australia and New Zealand, with some of the affected sand traced back to China.
Following these reports, the Dutch daily newspaper AD had samples of play sand analysed in laboratories and published an overview of the asbestos findings.
The contamination concerns sand used for play tables and handicrafts, as well as so-called kinetic, or magic sand. However, it remains unclear how significant the health risks are for children who play with the substance.
The regulatory authority is currently having around 90 samples of various products analysed.
“We are doing this as quickly as possible,” said a spokesman for the authority. Results are expected in about two weeks.
In the meantime, parents are becoming increasingly concerned. Daycare centres say they have withdrawn the play sand from circulation as a precaution.
Parliament called on the government to take measures and ban the sale of the sand as a precautionary measure.
However, the State Secretary responsible, Judith Tielen, wants to wait for the authority’s investigation.
By contrast, the government in neighbouring Belgium has taken precautionary action.
Following the initial findings in the Netherlands, it urgently called for the sale and use of the sand to be stopped and warned parents of the possible dangers. – BERNAMA-DPA
