UK 2026 Asbestos Product Recalls
Over 167 consumer products recalled in the UK since January 2026 after asbestos was found in sand and mineral filler. Affected items include children's toys, craft kits, dig sets, sensory blocks, science kits, novelty doorstops, and draught excluders.
* The end date of asbestos use varies by country depending on when it was banned. See the ban year next to each country below.
Description
Since late January 2026, the UK has experienced an unprecedented wave of consumer product recalls after asbestos was detected in sand and mineral filler used in a wide range of everyday household items and children's products. Over 167 individual products have been withdrawn from sale across major retailers including John Lewis, Dunelm, Hobbycraft, Smyths Toys, Home Bargains, B&M Bargains, and The Original Factory Shop.
The contamination spans six distinct product categories:
1. Novelty doorstops and draught excluders — Dunelm recalled 40 weighted doorstops, John Lewis pulled 12 doorstops and 3 draught excluders sold in stores for over five years, and The Original Factory Shop withdrew 4 novelty animal doorstops.
2. Stretchy and squishy toys — HTI Toys recalled 39 Stretcherz products, alongside stretchy animals from HGL, Hunter Price (Squishy Pugs, Squishy Sausage Dogs), KTL/Kandy Toys (stretchy capybara, dogs, gorillas, pigs, poop toys), Forever Shiny (9 sand-filled Weirdo Toys), Scrunchems (Stretchies Sleepy Dino), and Home Bargains (Stretchy Gorilla).
3. Sand art and craft kits — Addo Play (Out to Impress Sand Art, Paw Patrol Sand Art), Colour Day (Sand Art Activity Kit), Galt (Sand Stickers Craft Kit), Hobbycraft (Sand and Pom Pom Art Kit), Kids Create (Sand Art Kit), and Texet (coloured crafting sand packs).
4. Activity and craft boxes — Crayola-branded Discovery and Touchy Feely Craft Boxes by Hunter Price, Hobbycraft Giant Box of Craft and Easter Bumper Kit, Addo Play Creative Candles Kit and Paw Patrol Bumper Craft Collection, and KTL Kreative Kids Jumbo Craft Box.
5. Dig and excavation kits — Smyths Toys recalled 7 products including Dig In Kit Gold, Dig It Up Pirates, Dino Dig Sensory Bin, Gem Dig Kits, and Let's Dig Out Dinosaur Eggs.
6. Sensory, science, and hobby products — Commotion Ltd Tickit Sensory Blocks, KTL Test Tube Science Kit and Sensory Science Kit, My Living World Worm Kit, Colour Forge Basing Sand (hobby miniatures), Habico 350g jars of coloured sand (10 colours), KTL Decorative Glass Bottle of Sand, and WOODEN QIYI Sand Activity Toy (sold via AliBaba).
The majority of affected products were manufactured in China. The contamination originated from the sand used as filling or ingredient material — asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that can be present in sand deposits, and inadequate quality control during raw material sourcing allowed contaminated sand to enter the manufacturing process.
All forms of asbestos have been illegal to import, export, sell, or use in the UK since 1999. The UK Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has issued formal recall notices for all affected products, and retailers are offering full refunds.
Full list of recalled products by manufacturer:
Addo Play — Out to Impress Creative Candles Kit (318-19180-B), Out To Impress Sand Art Creations (318-19149-B), Paw Patrol Bumper Craft Collection (320-14145-N), Paw Patrol Sand Art Pictures Kit (320-14142-N). Colour Day — Sand Art Activity Kit (PSD 2602-0208, sold via eBay and Amazon). Colour Forge — Basing Sand in Moss Green and Atlantiko Blue (Hobbycraft code 6873931000). Commotion Ltd — Tickit Sensory Blocks (batch 20034). Crayola/Hunter Price — Discovery Craft Box (5061047355015), Touchy Feely Craft Box (5061047350522). Dunelm — 35 Novelty Doorstops (recalled May 2026) plus Checkerboard (30961034), Herringbone (30960889), Huxley the Hedgehog (30971884), Pumpkin (30968790), Rowan the Robin (30971912). Forever Shiny — 9 Sand-Filled Weirdo Toys: Dog (F-SDWDOG-1P), Frog (F-SDWFROG-1P), Gorilla (F-SDWGORIL-1P), Green Head Fish (F-SDWGRFISH-1P), Mule (F-SDWMULE-1P), Pig (F-SDWPIG-1P), Pineapple Duck (F-SDWPDUCK-1P), Poopman (F-SDWPOOP-1P), Rabbit (F-SDWRABB-1P). Galt — Nature Craft Kit (5011979623997), Sand Stickers Craft Kit (5011979623812). Habico — 350g Jars of Coloured Sand in 10 colours (PSD 2606-0268). HGL — Stretchy Sand Monster Truck/Car (5021813218894), Stretchy Sand Pig (5021813217954). Hobbycraft — Easter Bumper Craft Kit (6835991000), Giant Box of Craft (6686021000, 6505261000, 6099201000, 6597221000, 6606171000), Sand and Pom Pom Art Kit (6669851000). Home Bargains — Craft Time Sand Art Bracelets (47805), Stretchy Gorilla small (10891865) and XL (1087783). HTI Toys — 39 Stretcherz Toys plus Fun Sand Art Bottle Kit (5050837373315). Hunter Price — Squishy Pugs (22782ENT), Squishy Sausage Dogs (22776). John Lewis — Draught Excluder Grey (57090506), Navy (57090502), Stripe (57090509); Duck (57090429), Elephant (57090428), Felt (57090420), Frog (57090427), Fusion (57090426), Gingerbread (57090424), Grey Stripe (57090423), Llama (57090421), Patterned Navy (57090409), Pig (57090421), Sausage Dog (57090420), Snowman (57090425) Doorstops. Kids Create — Sand Art Kit (5012128618222). KTL/Kandy Toys — Squishy Hot Colour Gorilla 2.2kg (5063389048716), Balloon Dog 2pc (5063389102319), Test Tube Science Kit 3Pcs (5033849986032), Stretchy Monster 6 Assorted (5033849995485), Decorative Glass Bottle of Sand (5063389109462), Glitter and Glow Sand Art Kit (5033849865252), Kreative Kids Jumbo Craft Box (5033849045425), Sensory Science Kit (5033849928803), Squeezy Splatter Pig (5063389048747), Squishy Stretchy Capybara (5063389048907), Stretchy Dog (5033849929411), Stretchy Poop (5033849027407). My Living — World Worm Kit (LW102C). ORB — 13 Funkee Sand Toys. Scrunchems — Stretchies Sleepy Dino (5038728153109). Smyths Toys — Dig In Kit Gold (231105), Dig In Treasure Chest (242645), Dig It Up Pirates (223521), Dino Dig Sensory Bin (248772), Gem Dig Kit 12 Pack (187539), Gem Dig Kit 8 Pack (187538), Let's Dig Out Dinosaur Eggs 10pc (166403). Texet — Coloured Crafting Sand Pack of 20 (5060955510875), Fluorescent Coloured Craft Sand Pack of 6 (5060955510899). The Original Factory Shop — Dog Brown (10552082), Dog Grey (10522327), Elephant (10502202), Highland Cow (5057722706128). WOODEN QIYI — Sand Activity Toy (1005008843242014-12000046913158791, sold via AliBaba).
Countries where commonly found
Commercial brands
How to identify
Check product codes and barcodes against the official recall lists published by the UK Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS). Affected products span many categories: sand-filled stretchy or squishy toys, novelty doorstops and draught excluders, sand art and craft kits, activity and craft boxes, dig and excavation kits, sensory blocks, science kits, coloured decorative sand, and hobby basing sand. Key identifiers: Dunelm doorstops (codes starting with 309-), John Lewis doorstops and draught excluders (codes starting with 570904-), HTI Toys Stretcherz range, Hobbycraft craft kits (codes starting with 6-), Smyths Toys dig kits, KTL/Kandy Toys stretchy animals, and ORB Funkee Sand range. If you own any product containing sand, mineral filler, or granular material purchased from a UK retailer since 2020, check the retailer's website for specific recall notices.
Health risk & friability
This material has a risk level of 3 out of 5.
It is classified as friable, meaning asbestos fibers can be released into the air with minimal disturbance. This makes it one of the more dangerous asbestos-containing materials. Any work on or near this material should only be carried out by licensed professionals with appropriate containment measures.
What to do if you find this material
If you own any of the recalled products, stop using them immediately and keep them out of the reach of children. If the product is undamaged and the sand filling is contained, place it in a heavy-duty plastic bag, double-tape the bag shut, label it clearly, and store it in a secure location. If the product is damaged or the sand filling is accessible or has spilled, clean the area using wet cloths while wearing disposable gloves and a face mask. Place all cleaning materials, along with the product, into a heavy-duty bag and seal it securely. Keep children away from the affected area until it is completely clean. Return the product to the retailer for a full refund. If you are unable to return it, contact your local authority for guidance on safe disposal of asbestos-contaminated waste. Do not put recalled products in normal household waste.
Frequently asked questions
Why do these products contain asbestos?
Is a small amount of asbestos in sand dangerous?
Which retailers are affected?
What should I do if my child has already played with a recalled product?
How do I get a refund?
Related materials
Other asbestos-containing materials you might encounter.
Crayons, Clays & Toy Kits (Talc Contamination)
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Uralita
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Artex
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