A major precautionary school shutdown is underway in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) after traces of asbestos were detected in coloured play sand used for sensory and arts activities in classrooms and playgrounds.

On Sunday evening, the ACT government confirmed that 69 public schools would remain closed on Monday as licensed asbestos contractors carry out inspections and removal of the affected material.

The recall applies to products including the 14-piece “Sand Castle Building Set” and tubs of “Blue Magic Sand”, “Green Magic Sand” and “Pink Magic Sand” sold by major retailers such as Kmart and Target, in addition to related lines imported under the brands Kadink Decorative Sand, Educational Colours Rainbow Sand and Creatistics Coloured Sand.

Laboratory tests detected tremolite and chrysotile-type asbestos fibres in some samples of these products.

Although initial air testing in ACT schools has returned negative results for airborne asbestos fibres, the territory’s Education Minister Yvette Berry emphasised that the closures were necessary to “eliminate risk as much as reasonably practicable”.

She noted that the sand products are more widely used in ACT schools than earlier batches previously identified and thus warranted a broader precautionary response.

Staff from the ACT Education Directorate and volunteers from the State Emergency Service have spent the weekend walking through school sites to map all coloured sand found on site, isolate it and secure areas pending remediation.

Ms Berry said that while up to 23 schools may remain open due to having little to none of the affected stock, most will stay closed until the cleanup is complete and air clearances are obtained.

The national consumer regulator, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), said the risk of the asbestos fibres becoming airborne in their current state was “low” unless the sand is crushed or pulverised.

It also said that no clinical assessment is required for those who have been in contact with the product.

Parents and early-childhood centres have been instructed to immediately stop using the recalled sand at home or in childcare settings, seal it securely in double heavy-duty plastic bags, and dispose of it in designated asbestos-waste facilities rather than general household garbage.

While other states have issued safety alerts, the ACT is the only jurisdiction thus far to impose large-scale closures.

The number of identified contaminated sites in South Australia has risen to about 139, though schools there remain open under supervised isolation and remediation.

The recall and closures have reignited concerns among school communities and parents about manufacturer supply chains and oversight of educational products.

Government agencies say the cleanup and verification process may extend over several days, and they intend to update the community as soon as clearance results are available.