SMYTHS TOYS AND the consumer protection watchdog have both issued recall notices for various “Dig” products due to concerns that sand within the toy may contain asbestos.

The recalled toys include the Dino Dig Sensory Bin, the Gold Dig Kit, Dig It Up Pirates, and the Gem Dig Kit.

The toy range requires users to “dig” into blocks of sand with excavation tools.

In a recall notice today, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) said that it has recalled seven products due to a “risk to health as the sand may contain asbestos”.

The recalled products Smyths Toys Smyths Toys

“Asbestos refers to a group of naturally occurring minerals. It is a banned substance across the EU because it poses a risk to health,” the CCPC said in a statement.

“The asbestos may have entered the play sand as a natural occurring impurity due to its presence in the raw material from which the play sand was originally mined or processed.”

The CCPC said it will continue to engage with the HSE and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and that further updates will be provided as soon as additional information becomes available.  

It has advised consumers who have the product in their home to stop using it immediately.

If the sand is still packaged, it should then be placed in a heavy-duty plastic bag, sealed securely, labelled and stored in a secure location out of reach of children.

Consumers should then contact their local authority for advice on collection and disposal.

If the sand has been used, clean the sites where the product was used using wet cloths to avoid generating dust.

The CCPC said gloves and a protective FFP2 face mask or equivalent must be used for the cleaning process.

It advises to then double bag the sand, gloves, mask and cloths and seal these items securely and out of reach of children and then contact the local authority for advice on collection and disposal.  

Children and other people should also be kept away from areas where the sand has been used until the area has been cleaned.

The CCPC has also reminded consumers to contact Smyths Toys to request a refund prior to disposal.

It added that further information on this recall can be found by calling Smyths Toys customer service on 091 355 000 or emailing cshelpdesk@smythstoys.com 

Meanwhile, Smyths Toys said testing has shown the material inside some of the impacted products may contain trace levels of asbestos.

While it said the overall risk is low, it noted that it is undertaking a recall as a “precaution”.