Children’s Play Sand Tested for Contamination by Asbestos

Two brands of children’s play sand were pulled from toy store shelves in the East because they may contain asbestos fibers that can cause cancer, officials said Friday.

Authorities warned parents to keep youngsters out of sandboxes filled with the two products until more detailed results are available next week.

Preliminary tests showed that Premium Play Sand, made by Genstar Stone Products Co. of Hunt Valley, Md., and sold through Child World toy stores, may contain up to 3% tremolite asbestos, state Health Department spokeswoman Sue Bernstein said.

Kiddies Fun Sand, packaged by Quikrete Co. of Atlanta and sold through Toys-R-Us, was shown in preliminary tests to contain less than 1% of the substance.

The sand being tested is sold in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Officials for both companies said they believed their products were not contaminated with asbestos.