Almost 70 schools to close as asbestos concerns spread
Lloyd Jones |
Nearly 70 public schools will be closed due to an ongoing asbestos scare after the toxic substance was reported in further brands of children’s sand products.
Monday’s compulsory closures in the ACT follow the shutdown of 23 schools and preschools there on Friday after the consumer watchdog warned a coloured sand may contain asbestos traces.
Some school closures could last days as decontamination work continues.
One Brisbane school was also closed on Friday, but others remained open around the nation, though the suspect products were identified at some sites.
Asbestos removal contractors worked over the weekend to remove asbestos-tainted sand supplied by Officeworks from ACT schools.
But the ACT Education Department was obliged on Sunday to notify the closure of 69 schools on Monday after Kmart and Target issued a voluntary recall for a colour sand product that might contain asbestos.
“Unfortunately, these sand products are even more widely used in our schools than the Officeworks products,” ACT Education and Early Childhood Minister Yvette Berry said in a statement.
“We are now in a position that we need to close additional schools tomorrow.”
Families and staff have been informed of the closures by email.
School staff and SES volunteers have walked through the schools looking for coloured sand, and reporting any finds.
Licensed asbestos contractors needed to test, remediate and clear the spaces for use again, a process that could take days, Ms Berry said.
“This is a best practice in managing hazardous materials and I am committed to putting the safety of staff and students first.”
“All of the air testing that our contractors have done across public schools so far has been negative to airborne asbestos,” she said.
“Health officials yesterday confirmed that the risk is very low, and they do not recommend any clinical assessment for people in contact with these products.”
Safety alerts have been issued in nearly every state and territory urging schools, consumers and service providers to stop using the sand products.
Products linked to the asbestos scare have been identified at more than 100 sites in South Australia, with hazard alerts issued but no schools closed.
The product found at ACT schools was imported from China and sold as Kadink Decorative Sand in tubes weighing 10 grams, Worksafe ACT said.
It comes after a national recall of children’s sand products sold at retailers including Officeworks, Educating Kids, Modern Teaching Aids and Zart Art.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission issued alerts after asbestos traces were detected in laboratory testing.
AAP
