Important update: Coloured sand recall
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued an urgent recall of several children’s coloured sand products that have been found to contain naturally occurring asbestos.
The current advice from the Commonwealth Department of Health is that the health risk is very low from these products.
For further information, including known affected products see WorkSafe Tasmania’s Asbestos Contamination Alert – Asbestos Contamination Alert – Decorative Sand Products.
Tasmanian Government Schools
There are currently no school closures related to the coloured sand recall.
The Department is working with impacted schools to continue any further required cleaning. This will allow all schools to return to normal operation. As part of the cleaning process, any impacted product on school sites will be safely removed.
Testing undertaken of physical sand samples from Tasmanian Government schools has not indicated the presence of asbestos.
Contacts for our sites and services
- Schools (Government and Non-Government) – please contact your school and/or check its Facebook page.
- Libraries – Libraries Tasmania site directory webpage.
- Child and Family Learning Centres – Child & Family Learning Centres
- Children, Youth & Family Services – check our Contact information webpage
- Education & Care Services
- For parents and carers: Contacts for child care services
- For service providers: Contact the Regulator Education & Care Unit
Useful Emergency Links
TasALERT App
The TasALERT App provides real-time information about emergencies in Tasmania. You can receive notifications to your device about incidents or warnings in your area.
Visit the TasALERT website to download the app or use the QR code.
- Road Closures (Tasmania Police)
- Power Outages (TasNetworks)
- Public Health Alerts (Dept. of Health)
- Bushfire and heatwave information on this website – (check the ‘Current Situation’ section)
- COVID-19 (Tasmanian Government)
- Weather Warnings (Bureau of Meteorology)