In the toy aisles, these little tubes of colored sand look like a harmless creative activity. However, several games sold recently in France have just been the subject of a national recall, after the discovery of a dangerous substance in the powder that children handle.
This alert is part of an international wave starting from Australia and New Zealand in the fall of 2025, where schools closed temporarily after the detection of mineral fibers in play sand. It now directly affects French families, via sand toys signed
HEMA recalled for the presence ofasbestos. Enough to push many parents to check their cupboards.
Which HEMA sand toys are recalled?
Three ranges of sand toys are concerned: Sand creation cards and magnets (GTIN 15920121 and 15920122, all lots), Sandblasters, set of 6 HEMA (reference 15.90.0035, GTIN 15900035, all lots) and HEMA sand and DIY games (references 15.90.0101 and 15.90.0102, GTIN 15900101 and 15900102, all lots). They were sold from March 18, 2024 to February 11, 2026 in HEMA stores in France.
Analyzes revealed the presence of asbestos in at least one small tube of sand for these products, a dangerous substance capable of causing serious health problems when its fibers are inhaled. The official instructions: no longer use the toy, return it to the store for a full refund until April 19, 2026. An information number, 01 40 39 94 61, is available and any product still on the shelves can be reported on SignalConso.
Asbestos in sand: a global alert
The play sand alert originated in the fall of 2025 in Australia and New Zealand, where testing revealed asbestos in sand used in schools, forcing the temporary closure of dozens of establishments for remediation. In Europe, an investigation in the Netherlands found six positive samples out of twelve, then up to 25 contaminated references, often purchased on platforms like Amazon, Bol.com or AliExpress.
All these products share the same origin: sand extracted from Chinese mines where asbestos, in particular tremolite, can be found naturally. Some items analyzed contained between 2 and 5% unbound asbestos. As recognized by certain European officials, cited by True Medical, it is “impossible to control the products one by one” on large platforms, while these fibers can be “easily inhaled” when the sand is handled by children.
What to do if your child has handled this sand?
In France, asbestos has been banned since 1997 and all its varieties are classified as carcinogenic, because their microscopic fibers penetrate deep into the respiratory tract, accumulate in the lungs or pleura and can, after years, cause chronic inflammation, asbestosis or cancers such as mesothelioma. The exact level of risk associated with these toys, however, depends on the quantity of fibers released, duration and frequency of exposure, which is still being studied.