The Office for Product Safety and Standards told businesses on 20 July 2026 that they must not rely on final product testing alone to assure sand-containing toys are free from asbestos. The warning follows a growing number of recalls of asbestos-contaminated sand toys, and OPSS says businesses need robust supply chain assurance, not testing in isolation, to demonstrate products are safe.
TL;DR · LAST REVIEWED 20 July 2026
- OPSS has told businesses testing alone cannot assure sand toys are free from asbestos.
- Parents should stop using recalled products immediately and follow official disposal or return guidance.
KEY FACTS
- OPSS advisory to businesses published 20 July 2026, Office for Product Safety and Standards
- Testing alone is not sufficient assurance a sand-containing toy is asbestos-free
- Businesses must show supply chain assurance, referencing BSI PAS 7050
- There is no safe level of asbestos in consumer products, per OPSS guidance
What is happening with asbestos in sand toys?
OPSS has confirmed a growing number of UK product recalls due to sand contaminated with asbestos in children's toys, and on 20 July 2026 told businesses that product testing alone is not sufficient assurance that a product is free from contamination.
The regulator says businesses placing sand-containing toys on the UK market must be able to demonstrate, through supply chain assurance rather than testing alone, that products are safe before sale. Affected products identified so far have been subject to recall by the businesses that sold them, and OPSS says it expects further asbestos-contaminated products to be recalled as checks continue. Related labelling and symbol rules are covered in UK cosmetic product safety guidance, part of the same wider consumer product safety framework.
OPSS Chief Executive Graham Russell said parents should be able to trust that toys bought for children are safe, and that the regulator will hold businesses to account for having the right checks and controls in place. Where asbestos is identified in a product, businesses are expected to take immediate action, including product withdrawal or recall.
What should parents do if they have an affected product?
Parents who have bought a product listed on the OPSS product recalls page should stop using it immediately, follow the recall notice's return or disposal instructions, and contact the retailer with any questions, since businesses are expected to accept recalled products in store for a full refund.
OPSS says there is no safe level of asbestos in consumer products, though asbestos bound within an intact product is less harmful than airborne fibres small enough to be inhaled, which is why a recall is the appropriate response once asbestos is identified rather than continued use.
If a product cannot be returned to a store, or was bought through an online marketplace, OPSS says it is both legal and safe to dispose of it in household residual waste, provided the disposal steps below are followed. Anyone concerned about a product that has not yet been recalled should contact Citizens Advice (England and Wales) or Advice Direct Scotland, rather than assume it is safe.
What does this mean for businesses selling sand-containing toys?
OPSS has clarified that legal responsibility for product safety rests with the business placing a sand-containing toy on the market, and that testing should be treated as one part of a broader supply chain assurance approach, referencing the British Standards Institution's PAS 7050 code of practice, rather than relied on alone.
Businesses are expected to understand the origin of raw materials, obtain assurance from suppliers, maintain quality controls during manufacturing, and keep documentation demonstrating how they have assured products are free from asbestos, ready to provide to regulators on request.
Local Authority Trading Standards are overseeing recalls of the affected products, working alongside OPSS, and both bodies have powers to enforce product safety regulations. Disposal of recalled asbestos-contaminated stock is itself regulated; the Environment Agency's waste crime enforcement work gives a sense of how seriously mishandled waste disposal is treated more broadly. Businesses that cannot demonstrate a product is free from asbestos are told not to supply it, and where asbestos is identified they are expected to notify regulators, inform customers, and carry out withdrawals or recalls.
RELATED GUIDES
DISCLAIMER
This article is for general information only and is not financial, legal or immigration advice. Facts are sourced from the outlets and regulators listed below and were accurate at the time of writing; details of breaking or reported policy changes may be updated once formally confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to keep using a sand toy that has not been recalled?
OPSS guidance covers products that have been identified and recalled, listed on its product safety alerts page. If a toy has not been recalled but you have concerns, contact Citizens Advice in England and Wales, or Advice Direct Scotland, rather than assume it is safe based on absence from the list alone.
Can recalled sand toys just go in normal household bins?
Yes, OPSS says this is both legal and safe provided the disposal steps are followed: double-bagging the sand and any contaminated materials, avoiding raising dust during cleanup, and keeping children away from the area until it is clean.
Does product testing guarantee a toy is free from asbestos?
No. OPSS has explicitly told businesses that testing alone is not sufficient assurance, due to the nature of asbestos contamination and the limitations of sampling. Testing should form part of a wider supply chain assurance approach, not be relied on in isolation.
Who enforces asbestos rules on children's products in the UK?
The Office for Product Safety and Standards and Local Authority Trading Standards both have powers to enforce product safety regulations and are overseeing recalls of the affected products.
What should a business do if it cannot prove its sand toys are asbestos-free?
OPSS says a business should not supply a sand-containing toy where it cannot assure the product is free from asbestos and safe. Where asbestos is identified, the business is expected to notify regulators, inform customers, and carry out a withdrawal or recall.
SOURCES
- GOV.UK/OPSS, Stronger asbestos controls needed to keep kids safe – accessed 20 July 2026
- GOV.UK/OPSS, Asbestos in consumer products – accessed 20 July 2026
- GOV.UK/OPSS, Assuring the absence of asbestos in sand-containing toys – accessed 20 July 2026
