The toys have been pulled from shelves by the Office for Product Safety and Standards
Three stretchy toys have been recalled amid concerns that the sand filling the products may be contaminated with asbestos. The HGL Stretchy Sand Monster Truck, Scrunchems Stretchies Sleepy Dino Toy and HGL Stretchy Sand Pig have been pulled from shelves by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).
Notices published on the regulator’s website state the products could pose a “risk to health” due to possible contamination with a “small quantity” of the banned substance. All three toys are reported to originate from China and are distributed by One For Fun Limited.
Asbestos causes mesothelioma, a cancer which usually starts in the layers of tissue that cover the lungs. Each notice urges owners of the three toys to cease using the products “immediately” and to ensure they are kept away from children.
The OPSS has outlined instructions for disposing of the toys safely. It states that if the toy is undamaged, owners should “place in a heavy-duty plastic bag, double tape it securely, label it clearly and store in a secure location out of the reach of children”.
Should the toy be damaged and the sand inside is accessible, owners are advised to wear gloves and a mask while cleaning areas where the product was used with wet cloths. Owners should then double-bag the sand, gloves, mask and cloths together.
“Keep children and other people away from areas where the sand has been used until the area has been cleaned,” the notices state. The toys should be thrown away in general household waste or taken back to a store specified by the retailer, it adds. The toys have been withdrawn from sale and recalled from customers by One For Fun Limited.
In a statement, One for Fun chief executive David Mordecai said: “We are aware of recent global reports concerning the presence of trace asbestos in sand used within certain consumer products. This has affected many toy companies throughout the world.
“As a precautionary measure, we immediately conducted independent testing across our full range of sand-filled items.
“While current safety standards (EN71) do not require testing for asbestos, our investigations identified that three of our products contained trace contamination. These products have been withdrawn from the market.
“We take product safety extremely seriously. As a result, we have discontinued the use of sand as a filler in all current and future products.
“We remain committed to the highest safety standards and will continue to monitor and review our materials and processes accordingly.”
