UK regulator recalls three sand-filled children’s toys over asbestos risk
Three stretchy children’s toys have been recalled today after the sand inside was found to be potentially contaminated with asbestos.
The HGL Stretchy Sand Monster Truck, the Scrunchems Stretchies Sleepy Dino Toy and the HGL Stretchy Sand Pig have all been withdrawn from sale.
The recall was issued on 9 April 2026 by the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).
All three toys are distributed by One For Fun Limited and originate from China.
The OPSS says the sand filling in the toys may contain a small quantity of asbestos, a substance banned in the UK because it poses a risk to health even at low levels of exposure.
None of the three products meets the requirements of the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011, according to the regulator.
Parents who own any of the toys are advised to stop using them immediately and to keep them away from children.
The OPSS has set out disposal instructions for anyone who has one of the affected products.
If the toy is undamaged, it should be placed in a heavy-duty plastic bag, double-taped securely, clearly labelled and stored away from children.
If the toy is damaged and the sand inside is accessible, anyone handling it should wear gloves and a mask and clean the area with wet cloths to avoid raising dust.
The sand, along with the gloves, mask and cloths, should then be double-bagged.
The bagged toys can be placed in general household waste or returned to the retailer for a full refund.
Sue Davies, Which? Head of Consumer Protection Policy, said: “It is shocking that deadly asbestos is once again being found in children’s toys sold at major retailers.”
“This points to serious failures in product safety checks.”
“Manufacturers and retailers must urgently review their supplier oversight and testing to make sure unsafe products are not reaching stores in the first place.”
“The Office for Product Safety and Standards needs to take action and ensure proper checks are being carried out to keep dangerous products off the shelves.”
“It should also examine whether toys containing asbestos are being sold on online marketplaces where there is far more limited regulation.”
Today’s recall is the latest in a series of withdrawals involving sand-filled children’s toys that began in January 2026.
The contamination issue first emerged after a parent had a craft sand product independently tested and found it to contain asbestos.
The full recall notice for all three products is available on the Government’s product safety alerts page at gov.uk/product-safety-alerts-reports-recalls.
For further information, consumers can contact One For Fun Limited by phone on +44 (0)141 613 2525 or by email at [email protected].
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