Asbestos found in nursery's play sand
Getty ImagesAsbestos has been found in play sand at a council-run nursery.
Tests on sand at Whitley Lodge in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, found it to be contaminated with a type of asbestos called chrysotile, while Beacon Hill School in Wallsend has been closed for the rest of the week for more testing.
The government announcement on Wednesday it was aware some UK products contained "sand contaminated with asbestos" and they were being recalled by the businesses which sold them.
North Tyneside Council's director of children's services Rebecca Wall said as a parent she understood the "worry" people faced, but it was important to consider how much their child had been exposed to the contamination.
"The advice is really clear, it is a low-level risk to children," she said.
"The fact it is sand has made this a little bit more concerning, but it is proportionate to how much time their children might be playing in sand."
Whitley Lodge's nursery was closed on Monday after it received a positive result for asbestos.
The nursery was cleaned by specialist services and reopened on Wednesday, however parents were only told why it had been shut on Thursday.
The council also closed Woodlawn Primary School in Whitley Bay on Wednesday, but it has since reopened after no asbestos was found.
Silverdale School in Howden has also been closed and received a negative test, allowing it to reopen on Friday.
The asbestos has been found in play sand, which can be used in outdoor sandboxes and indoor tables.
The council said it had not ruled out testing play parks and safety messages had been relayed to all schools across the borough. However, no other schools were being treated as a cause of concern for testing.
What is chrysotile?
Chrysotile is also known as white asbestos and was the most common type of asbestos.
It has soft, flexible fibres and is less hazardous than another types of asbestos with brittle fibres - such as blue and brown asbestos.
Asbestos was previously used in products, such as boilers, pipes, floor tiles, and to protect buildings and ships from fire.
Government advice states intact asbestos poses "very little risk" to people, but if damaged its fibres may be released, and can cause cancer when inhaled.
The contaminated sand is thought to have been imported from China.
Keeping pupils safe
Wall said the council had contacted early years and SEND schools as they were more likely to use play sand.
"Keeping pupils and staff safe is our top priority, and we take this responsibility extremely seriously," she said.
"I want to reassure parents, pupils and staff that advice from the UK Health Security Agency indicates the overall risk to health is low."
The Office for Product Safety and Standards said if a product was on the recall list, it should stop being used immediately and people should keep away from areas where the sand has been until it has been properly cleaned.
It added businesses which sold products contaminated with asbestos were required to recall them.
A Health and Safety Executive spokesperson said it was working with the council to help it "secure expert advice" and allow any issues from asbestos to be "safely resolved".
