A further recall has been issued for coloured sand products sold at more than 100 stores nationwide after asbestos was detected during laboratory testing.
Superdeal NZ on Thursday issued a voluntary recall for 15 of its craft sand products after “some samples have tested positive for asbestos”, Product Safety said today on its website.
“The product may cause a risk to health as asbestos has been detected in some samples after laboratory testing.
“Additional testing is currently being undertaken to determine the risk of the product in New Zealand.”
The affected products – which come in 380g tubs in black, white, red, orange, hot pink, green, navy blue, yellow, light green, purple, blue, baby pink, neon yellow, gold and silver – were sold from April 2021 to November 2025.
A full list of Superdeal NZ’s craft sand suppliers can be found here.
A Ministry of Education spokesperson told 1News approximately 150 schools and 90 early learning services had contacted officials over the issue as of 2pm Sunday.
WorkSafe inspectors visited 150 customers on Monday to assess the scope of the problem, prioritising “sensitive purchasers such as hospitals, libraries and youth clubs”.
Multiple schools in the Canterbury region were confirmed closed on Monday out of an abundance of caution, with testing expected to follow in the coming days.
Closed institutions included Burnside Primary, Clearview Primary, Knights Stream School, Gilberthorpe School, Spreydon School, Addington School. Redwood Primary and Waitaha School. Several schools said they may remain closed for the next few days.
The closures were based on Ministry of Education advice.
Several schools and early learning centres in Australia were also closed on Friday after asbestos was detected.
Immediate advice for consumers:
- Stop using the product immediately
- Do not let children touch or play with the sand
- Place the sand in a sealed container, then double-bag in thick plastic, seal with tape, and clearly label as “Asbestos-Contaminated Material”
- Do not dispose of in household rubbish or vacuum it up. Contact your local council for advice on where and how to dispose of the contaminated material safely
- Refer to the clean-up and disposal instructions in the Health NZ web page: Asbestos in sand
- Once secure, we encourage people to contact your retailer for a refund under the Consumer Guarantees Act
- For further advice call the MBIE Consumer line 0508 426 678.
Immediate advice for workplaces:
- If the sand is in a sealed container, move it to a secure location away from people
- If the sand is currently being used in your workplace, please instruct everyone to leave the area, block it off and make sure it is not accessible. Do not vacuum or sweep floors where there is sand or attempt to clean it up.
- Contact a licensed asbestos assessor or removalist for immediate advice and support on your specific situation. Details of Class A licensed removalists are available in the Asbestos Removal Licence Holders Register.
- Do not return to the affected area until the extent of contamination is established, and after the area is remediated by an expert
- If individuals are currently using the sand, they should put it down and relocate to a sand-free, well-ventilated area
- If you are an educational facility and have identified that the sand has been used at your site, please notify the Ministry of Education
- All clothing worn during exposure must be disposed of as asbestos waste as part of personal decontamination.
