39 toy recalls over asbestos in sand this year, and none for play pit sand: what to check

What has been recalled

The headline going round says more than 30 toys have been recalled this year over asbestos in play sand. The official record is GOV.UK's product safety alerts, reports and recalls list, run by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).

We read every notice on it published or updated since 1 January 2026, 690 in all, on 4 November 2026. Seventy are product recalls that mention asbestos, all first published this year. GOV.UK files 39 of them under toys, 18 under hobby and sports equipment (mostly craft and sand art kits) and 13 under household decorative articles, which include sand-filled doorstops.

The first was published on 27 January 2026 and the most recent on 6 October 2026. One notice can cover a whole range, so the number of individual products is higher than 70.

Is it play sand?

Mostly not. In 68 of the 70 notices the hazard line names sand, or sand-like material, inside or included with the product: the filling of a stretchy toy, the coloured sand in an art kit, the sand in a doorstop. The other two name marble chips in doorstops and draught excluders.

Only one notice, for the Kiddo World Make Your Own Sensory Bin Construction Site, uses the words "play sand", meaning the sand in that kit.

OPSS, the UK Health Security Agency and the Health and Safety Executive said in a joint statement on 19 June 2026: "Recalled products include craft kits, science kits, toys containing sand and decorative doorstops. No play pit sand is currently subject to a recall."

Which toys are on the list

More than half of the 39 toy notices are for stretchy, squishy sand-filled toys: animals, monsters, cars and stress toys. Ten are KTL products and seven are Wizz Toys products. Others include HTI Toys Stretcherz, HGL stretchy sand toys, Scrunchems Stretchies, Tickit Sensory Blocks, Smyths Toys Dig Products and two Crayola-branded craft boxes from Hunter Price.

One example is the ORB Funkee Sand Toys recall, published on 6 March 2026. The notice describes a "Range of stretchy sand-filled toys" sold through The Entertainer, Tesco, Matalan, Hobbycraft and British Garden Centres "between July 2025 and February 2026".

Its hazard line reads: "The product presents a risk to health as the sand may be contaminated with a small quantity of asbestos." Each notice has its own product names, codes and pictures, so check the full list rather than relying on this summary.

How worried to be

The joint statement explains that the recalls follow a "zero-tolerance approach", adding: "It is not an indication of the level of risk to any consumers."

It also says: "The risks to health are expected to be low, for these recalled products during normal use, even with occasional short-term exposures and when following the disposal instructions."

The recall notices themselves say: "Asbestos is a banned substance because it poses a risk to health even at low levels of exposure." The joint statement says "consumer products found to contain asbestos must be recalled."

The joint statement adds: "it is important to stop any use or access to the affected products and follow the clean-up and recall advice". If you have a health worry about someone in your family, ask your GP or NHS 111. This page doesn't give medical advice.

If you have one of these toys

OPSS's asbestos in consumer products guidance says to "stop using it immediately, as this is the most important step to prevent any ongoing exposure, and follow the recall advice".

The ORB Funkee notice gives typical steps. If the sand is still sealed, "place in a heavy-duty plastic bag, double tape it securely, label it clearly and store in a secure location out of the reach of children". If it has been used, "clean up sites where the product was used using wet cloths to avoid generating dust. Wear gloves and a mask. Double bag the sand, gloves, mask and cloths."

Then "Return the product to store where specified by the retailer for a full refund." OPSS says "Businesses should accept recalled products at their stores." If you can't return it, OPSS says to contact your local authority "or visit their website for guidance on safe disposal of asbestos in your area". Follow your own product's notice where it differs.

Checking a toy before you buy it this Christmas

Search the GOV.UK recall list for the toy's name and brand. GOV.UK's product recalls and alerts page says the list publishes "Products which present a serious or high risk and those which have been recalled or subject to a modification programme". A toy that isn't on it hasn't necessarily been checked.

Look at the toy and its box. GOV.UK's product safety advice says toys must carry appropriate marking (UKCA or CE in Great Britain) and to "Only buy these types of product if they have appropriate marking and the name and address of the manufacturer on them." It describes the mark as "a statement from the manufacturer that the product meets specific safety, health and environmental requirements."

Several of the toy recalls were for toys sold via online marketplaces. The same GOV.UK advice says "if you buy it from a seller based outside the UK there's a chance it may not be manufactured or labelled in accordance with our safety laws."

What we checked

Our catalogue lists one sand toy, Kinetic Sand's Sandisfying Set, and one desktop sand kit, the Zen Garden Desktop Sand Kit. Neither name appears in any of the 70 notices we read on 4 November 2026. That is a check of the recall list only, not a safety test.

If you think a toy you own might contain asbestos but hasn't been recalled, OPSS's guidance says to contact the Citizens Advice consumer service in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland in Scotland, or your local district council in Northern Ireland.