Toxic sand: a silent threat

In conjunction with World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) on March 15), themed “Safe Products, Confident Consumers”, the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) calls on the Malaysian government to ensure that all play and craft sand products available in the Malaysian market are free from asbestos, one of the 10 chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Recent product recalls and market withdrawals in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom were prompted by laboratory tests of play and craft sand products that detected traces of asbestos, particularly tremolite. Asbestos is a naturally occurring group of fibrous minerals that occurs in different mineral forms and fibre types. All asbestos fibre types, regardless of size, have the potential to pose a health risk if fibres become airborne and are inhaled.