69 schools in Canberra are closing after traces of asbestos were found in the sand of educational products. Inspections are ongoing.

A number of 69 schools in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) will be closed on Monday due to the discovery of asbestos traces in the sand used in educational products. Authorities have withdrawn the colored sand from the market, including from retail chains such as Kmart and Target, due to the risks associated with inhaling asbestos particles, which can cause serious illnesses. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission assessed the risk of becoming airborne as 'low', but the government decided to eliminate any risk. Inspections of the schools are ongoing, and preliminary results have not indicated the presence of asbestos in the air. Affected products, imported from China between 2020 and 2025, include sand labeled as Kadink Sand, Educational Colours – Rainbow Sand, and Creatistics – Coloured Sand. Officeworks has stopped selling these products after the detection of asbestos.