Asbestos in Play Sand: NZ Schools Grapple with Uncharted Contamination Amidst Ministerial Confusion
New Zealand school principals and a prominent teachers' union are voicing profound shock and frustration over the Ministry of Education's failure to maintain a comprehensive national tally of schools that have tested positive for asbestos in coloured play sand products. This oversight leaves a critical gap in understanding the full extent of potential exposure risks to children and staff.
A Tallying Tug-of-War
The controversy began when RNZ was initially informed by the Ministry of Education that no central record of asbestos test results from schools was being kept. This stance was directly contradicted by Education Minister Erica Stanford, who asserted that the ministry was tracking the data and receiving daily updates. Following the minister's statement, the ministry subsequently provided what it described as "incomplete figures," cautioning that these were based on voluntary reporting and therefore "should not be taken as a full picture."
Currently, the ministry's partial data reveals that nine schools or early learning services have returned positive asbestos tests, while 39 have come back negative. A concerning 129 results remain either unknown or are still awaiting processing. Ministry operations and integration leader Sean Teddy explained that schools are not mandated to report testing or share results with the ministry, as their immediate priority is student and staff safety. However, this explanation has done little to quell the rising alarm.
Principals Demand Clarity and Accountability
Leanne Otene, president of the Principals' Federation, expressed her dismay, calling the situation "shocking." "It really confounds me that the ministry has not got more of a handle on this situation," Otene stated. She highlighted the ambiguity of existing guidance, which has made it exceedingly difficult for schools to respond consistently and confidently.
Principals have commendably acted with caution, prioritizing health and safety by commissioning expensive testing at their own expense. Yet, Otene criticizes the absence of "clear, consistent messaging" from the Ministry of Education. A particularly alarming gap, according to Otene, is the lack of guidance on maintaining adequate records of testing and results, or submitting incident reports to the ministry and school boards. This omission means that in the future, there will be no official record of the actions schools took to address the asbestos threat.
Cross-Agency Confusion
Attempts by RNZ to gather comprehensive data from various government agencies proved challenging. WorkSafe and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) both deferred to the Ministry of Education, stating that information on test results in educational facilities would reside there. This only underscores the perception of a fragmented and uncoordinated response.
The Crucial Need for a Central Register
Terri-Ann Berry, an associate professor at AUT and board chairperson of the Mesothelioma Support and Asbestos Awareness Trust, emphasized the critical importance of a central register. "We can't undo what has already happened unfortunately, but what we can do now is we can start looking at providing good evidence so that if anything in the future does happen, if anybody does develop any symptoms, that we can actually have good notes and reporting to be able to get ACC funding to help with any treatment," Berry explained.
She pointed out the current lack of understanding regarding the likelihood of children inhaling asbestos fibres and advocated for a systematic testing action plan rather than relying solely on voluntary reporting. "Just because there is no result doesn't mean that there isn't a contamination," Berry warned, highlighting the potential for widespread, undetected issues.
Union Calls for Responsible Governance
Stephanie Mills, national secretary for NZEI, echoed these concerns, condemning the voluntary reporting approach as a "failure of regulatory systems." Given asbestos is a banned substance known to cause long-term illness, exposing children and educators to it without robust oversight is unacceptable. Mills urged the government to adopt a more responsible, proactive approach, not only to understand the current scope but also to implement measures preventing future recurrences.
Continuing Product Recalls
The issue remains live, with another children's sand product, the MIKI Sand Art Set, being recalled recently. Sold between July and December 2023, these 570 units supplied by Australia-based Sax International were found to contain unidentified mineral fibres consistent with asbestos. This adds to a growing list of recalled products, including Rainbow Sand Art Toy, 380g Craft Sand, 14-piece Sand Castle Building Set, Blue, Green and Pink Magic Sand from Kmart, and other Rainbow Sand and Creatistics items.
The ongoing recalls underscore the pervasive nature of the problem, making the absence of a comprehensive national tally and clear, consistent guidance even more alarming for the well-being of New Zealand's school communities.