Education Minister Yvette Berry says the risk was low but had to be dealt with. Photo: James Coleman.
ACT schools closed due to the presence of a play sand product potentially contaminated with asbestos should be able to reopen by Monday (17 November), Education Minister Yvette Berry said.
Ms Berry told a press conference that remediation work by licensed asbestos contractors would take place over the weekend.
But she said it remained an evolving situation and more schools could be closed as a result of ongoing investigations.
Ms Berry reiterated that the risk to health and wellbeing was low.
According to the Education ACT website, 16 schools are now closed, eight are partially closed and six preschools are closed.
Mr Berry urged the community to continue visiting the Education ACT website, where information would be updated.
“School communities will receive advice on Sunday afternoon or evening about arrangements for Monday, so we ask parents and school communities to keep an eye on their phones and their emails,” she said.
Ms Berry said testing had started on Thursday afternoon and evening (13 November) and would continue.
The community would be updated on the results as soon as possible.
The ACT is the only jurisdiction to take this action so far, but Ms Berry said that while the risk was low, the decision to close schools was not made lightly.
“We know that it’s disruptive to families and children and schools, particularly at this time of year when people are starting to celebrate,” she said.
“However, all of the advice is that we have a risk and we need to manage it, and so that’s what we’re doing.”
Images of the play sand that may contain traces of asbestos. Photo: ACCC.
WHS Commissioner Jacqueline Agius said the advice to the schools and any other workplace or household was to isolate, not disturb the substance, bring in a licensed asbestos assessor to determine whether or not the premises needed to be remediated, and to accept that advice.
Ms Agius said air quality testing had been done and confirmed a lack of airborne fibres.
However, two other tests had been recommended: a PLM test, where the substance is crushed and examined under a microscope, and a TEM test, which uses light to obtain a high-resolution image to assess whether there is asbestos in the sand.
Ms Agius said it was taking about two days to get the PLM test, and the TEM test takes four to six days.
“However, I understand that laboratories are working with the Education Directorate to get these results as quickly as possible,” she said.
WorkSafe ACT first became aware of the potential for asbestos in coloured sand late last week, although this was based on an unverified test.
WorkSafe ACT seized some of the product from the premises and conducted its own testing.
“That testing came back on Wednesday. As soon as we were aware that the test showed a positive for chrysotile asbestos, we provided that information to the community as the community would expect,” she said.
WHS Commissioner Jacqueline Agius advised the government to close schools. Photo: James Coleman.
WorkSafe ACT advised the government to shut affected schools to meet its work, health and safety obligations and conduct the risk assessments that happened last night.
Ms Agius said the product had been on the market for five years, but it was unknown if asbestos had been present for that long.
Households worried about the sand should visit the WorkSafe website for advice on how to dispose of it.
Education Directorate Deputy-General Angela Spence said the decorative sand was used in trays on desks, open plan areas, or outside in sensory areas.
Ms Spence said the directorate was committed to keeping the community informed.
“As we progress into the weekend and we are provided with the appropriate advice from the experts around remediation and removal, we will continue to update the information through that channel,” she said.
Ms Spence said non-government schools were advised yesterday (Thursday) and were working closely with the directorate.
Ms Berry said it was easier for the investigative and remedial work to be done without children and staff present.
“Asbestos contractors with biohazard suits and things like that were not something we wanted our children and school staff to be witnessing throughout the day,” she said.
The closures follow a national recall issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for a range of coloured sand products that may contain asbestos.
The recall, issued by supplier Educational Colours, affects products sold between 2020 and 2025 under the names Kadink Sand (1.3 kg), Educational Colours – Rainbow Sand (1.3 kg) and Creatistics – Coloured Sand (1 kg).
