Amazon and eBay recall toy due to asbestos contamination

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) issued an urgent warning about the Colour Day branded Sand Art Activity Kit sold via Amazon and eBay as it presents a “risk to health”.

The product presents a risk to health as the sand included in the set may be contaminated with a small quantity of asbestos.

Safety chiefs warn that asbestos is a banned substance because it presents a risk of cancer even at low levels of inhalation exposure.

Breathing in high volumes of asbestos over a long period of time can cause asbestosis, which makes breathing difficult and enlarges the heart and it can take many years to develop.

Asbestos-related diseases are thought to kill around 5,000 people each year in the UK alone.

The product has been removed from the online marketplaces and shoppers are urged to contact the distributor for a full refund.

Customers are advised to stop using the product immediately, place it in a heavy duty bag, double tape it, label it clearly and keep it out of reach of children.

If the sand has been used, safety chiefs are urging people to wear gloves and a mask, clean up sites where the product was used using wet cloths to avoid generating dust.

The sand, gloves, mask and cloths then need to be double bagged, labelled and kept out of the reach of children.

An OPSS spokesperson said: “The product has been recalled from end users by eBay and Amazon. We recommend owners stop using the product immediately and keep it out of the reach of children.

“Stop using the product immediately. If the sand is still in the packaging, place it in a heavy-duty plastic bag, double tape it securely, label it clearly and store in a secure location out of reach of children.

“If the sand has been used, clean up sites where the product has been used using wet cloths to avoid generating dust. Wear gloves and a mask. Double bag the sand, gloves, mask and cloths.

“Keep children and other people away from the areas where the sand has been used until the area has been cleaned.

“Contact the distributor you purchased it from for a full refund and dispose of the product in your general household waste.”

An Amazon spokesperson said: “Customer safety is our top priority. When we are informed that a product is subject to a recall, we act swiftly to remove the product from sale and contact affected customers, including sharing any safety guidance issued by regulators.”

An eBay spokesperson added: “At eBay, we work closely with regulators, including the Office for Product Safety and Standards, to monitor for product recalls.

“Consumer safety is a top priority at eBay, and all listings for this item have been removed from our platform.”