Bay of Plenty schools close following asbestos-contaminated sand recall
Tuesday 18 November 2025 · 3 outlets · 2 reports · updated In this story Ministry of Education, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Kmart
Several schools in the Bay of Plenty have closed or partially closed after Kmart NZ coloured sand products tested positive for tremolite asbestos. The Ministry of Education has received hundreds of queries from schools and early childhood centres following the urgent recall notice.
How they headlined it
More on Asbestos in children's coloured sand recalls
- Ombudsman complaint lodged over asbestos-contaminated play sand
- Kmart recalls sensory sand sets due to asbestos risk
- Safety concerns rise over toy recalls and asbestos contamination
- Kmart cancels recall for three magic sand products
- Schools and childcare centres responsible for asbestos sand clean-up costs
Related stories
- Schools and early learning centres contact ministry over asbestos sand recall
- Christchurch and Dunedin schools close for asbestos testing
- Schools and centres contact Ministry after asbestos found in play sand
- Ministry of Education supplied asbestos-tainted sand to schools
- Canterbury schools close following asbestos detection in Kmart sand products