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A UK product safety notice says Habico Ltd 350g jars of coloured sand may contain a small quantity of asbestos. Habico and three distributors have withdrawn the affected products and recalled them from customers; owners are advised to stop using the sand and follow the notice’s return and disposal instructions.
A UK product safety notice says Habico Ltd 350g jars of coloured sand may contain a small quantity of asbestos and have been withdrawn from sale and recalled from end users. The recall covers jars purchased on or after 1 June 2023, with or without batch codes, and applies to products distributed by Habico Ltd, ESPO, Hampshire County Council Supplies and YPO Limited.
The affected sand is identified by the label statement “distributed by Habico Ltd, LS12 4BD”. The notice describes the product as hobby, sports or arts-and-crafts sand, made in China. It lists sets of jars in assorted colours and sizes, including packs of six, eight and 20 350g jars. Retailer product codes are set out in the notice’s distributor list.
The notice says the products may be contaminated with a small quantity of asbestos. It describes asbestos as a banned substance that poses a health risk even at low levels of exposure, and says the products do not meet the requirements of the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011. The notice does not report a confirmed illness or provide test results or details about how the possible contamination was identified.
Habico Limited and the three named distributors have withdrawn the products from the market and recalled them from customers. Owners are advised to stop using the sand immediately and return it to the retailer where specified for a full refund. The safety notice also gives instructions for containing unused sand and cleaning areas where the product has already been used.
Steps for Households With Affected Sand
The UK product safety notice says the sand may be contaminated with asbestos and advises people to stop using it. It does not report confirmed exposure measurements or health outcomes, and does not establish that any particular user has been exposed or harmed. The notice advises people to avoid creating dust while handling sand that has already been spread out.
For packaged sand, the notice advises placing it in a heavy-duty plastic bag, sealing it securely with double tape, labelling it clearly and keeping it in a secure place out of children’s reach. For sand that has been used, it advises cleaning affected areas with wet cloths to avoid generating dust, wearing gloves and a mask, and double-bagging the sand and cleanup materials. It also advises keeping children and others away from affected areas until they have been cleaned.
The notice provides return guidance and instructions for safe disposal. If a return to the retailer is not possible, it directs owners to contact their local authority or check its website for local asbestos-disposal guidance.
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Products and Retailer Codes Listed
The recall notice identifies the affected products through the Habico distributor statement on the label and says batch codes are not required for a product to be affected. The date range begins on 1 June 2023. The notice does not give an end date for sales, so customers should check the label and listed retailer identifiers rather than rely on a batch code or purchase date after that threshold.
For ESPO, the listed products are Coloured Craft Sand codes 60038 and 277363, Pastels Sand code 233439, and Fluorescent Craft Sand code 06760. Hampshire County Council Supplies lists codes 209211 and 209213. YPO Limited lists codes 733604 and 747335. The notice includes contact routes for each distributor: ESPO can be contacted at product.recall@espo.org, with reference HABICO23 in the subject line; Hampshire County Council Supplies gives county.supplies@hants.gov.uk for customers who believe they have an affected product but were not contacted; YPO directs customers to its customer updates page for contact details.
Habico Limited gives the telephone number 0113 263 1500 and email address sales@habico.co.uk for further information. The recall was notified by Local Authority Trading Standards and carries Product Safety Database case number 2606-0268.
What the Notice Leaves Open
The notice states that the sand may be contaminated, but the source material does not say how many jars or batches are affected, how much asbestos may be present, or whether testing confirmed contamination in particular samples. It also does not identify where the sand was sold, how many units reached customers, or how many have been returned. No publication date is included in the supplied report, so the precise timing of the announcement cannot be established from that material.
The notice does not report any injuries or illnesses linked to the sand. It also does not provide an assessment of individual exposure risks. Those details should not be inferred from the recall alone. Owners who are uncertain whether their product is included can use the label statement and distributor codes, then contact the relevant seller or Habico for advice.
Returns and Safe Disposal Guidance
Customers should stop using any potentially affected sand, identify its label and retailer code, and contact the relevant distributor about return arrangements and a refund. The notice says affected Hampshire County Council Supplies customers have been contacted directly; anyone who believes they have an affected product but has not received a message can email the supplier.
If the product cannot be returned, owners should follow the notice’s containment and cleanup instructions and contact their local authority for guidance on safe disposal. The notice points readers to GOV.UK information about asbestos in consumer products. The supplied material does not state a deadline for returns or give a date for a further update.
Key Questions
Which coloured sand products are included in the recall?
The notice covers Habico Ltd 350g jars of coloured sand purchased on or after 1 June 2023. It includes jars with and without batch codes. Check for the label wording “distributed by Habico Ltd, LS12 4BD” and compare the retailer code with the notice’s list.
What should I do if I have an affected jar?
Stop using it immediately. The notice advises returning the product to the retailer where specified for a full refund. If it cannot be returned, follow the containment instructions and ask your local authority about safe disposal.
How should I handle sand that has already been used?
The notice advises cleaning affected areas with wet cloths to avoid generating dust. Wear gloves and a mask, double-bag the sand and cleanup materials, and keep children and others away until the area has been cleaned.
Has the notice confirmed asbestos contamination or reported illnesses?
The notice says the sand may be contaminated with a small quantity of asbestos. The supplied report does not provide test results, identify affected batches, or report illnesses linked to the product.
Source: primary
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