‘Chaotic’: Wellington primary to use high school’s classrooms over play-sand asbestos

Monday, 17 November 2025

A Wellington primary was forced to close its doors on Monday after five of its eight classrooms could not be used because of asbestos being found in a brand of play sand – and four other products of concern.

As of 1pm on Monday, 167 schools and 95 early learning services had been in touch with the Ministry of Education about contamination, of which 16 schools and seven early learning services had closed or planned to close, Sean Teddy, Hautū (leader) operations and integration, said.

Arakura Primary School was among five schools in the Wellington region which had temporarily closed or had plans for closure.

The recalled products are EC Rainbow Sand and Creatistics Coloured Sand, 14-piece Sand Castle Building Set, Blue Magic Sand, Green Magic Sand and Pink Magic Sand, sold at Kmart.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) advised people to stop using the products immediately, secure them and dispose them safely.

Australian media is also reporting school closures in Canberra and Brisbane.

Arakura Primary School principal Tute Mila said the school had to be closed with parents picking up their kids on Monday morning after it became clear that the sand had been used across its junior hub with five of eight classrooms out of use.

Mila was doing a tour around Wainuiomata High School in the afternoon, after it had offered to support the primary school and Fernlea School, both of which had had to close due to the sand.

The day was “pretty chaotic”, she said, particularly with more than half of her students requiring additional learning support and some not dealing well with change.

But it was “awesome” to have the local community kick in and help support each other.

On Tuesday, students from year 4 to 6 would be at the high school, while years 0 to 3 would remain at the primary school, with two classes being taught out of the hall.

At Fernlea School, according to its Facebook page, the school would remain closed on Tuesday and would confirm after its results came back, whether it could open on Wednesday.

Mila had contacted companies to test the products but they were “all stretched across Wellington” and no-one had come back to her yet with a definite timeline.

“My priority now is to get the product tested, because if that's negative, apparently we can get back in and carry on and if it's positive, then goodness knows what we have to do after that.

“We’re preparing to the end of the week and hopefully it’ll be sorted sooner.”

Mila and her senior leadership team were meant to be doing planning for next year and reviewing the curriculum but “that didn’t happen”.

“This is the reality of school life; there's the stuff you plan for, and then these are other things that happen, and we have to deal with that. That's why you can never load a school up to 100% capacity because there's inevitably things that happen.“

Wellington and Porirua councils bring in free disposal for recalled sand

People in Wellington and Porirua can can dispose recalled playing sand that might contain asbestos for free.

But whether the councils would be reimbursed for disposals costs, remained unclear.

Wellington’s deputy mayor, Ben McNulty, said the council’s advice was to bag up the sand, double-bag and tape it shut, label it saying it contains asbestos and then to drop it off at the Southern Landfill for no charge.

“Council will be collecting the waste, but the main thing is for people to double bag it and clearly label it so we can handle the risk.”

Porirua City Council manager of waste, David Down, said for amounts less than 20 kilograms of recalled sand products, Spicer Landfill in Kenepuru would accept it at no charge. The facility would be available from lunchtime Monday until further notice.

For amounts of 20kg or more, normal asbestos disposal certificate application process and charges applied.

Meanwhile, a Hutt City Council spokesperson said it was working with waste management experts to “find the most effective way to deal with the situation”.

The Silverstream Landfill was used by both the Upper Hutt City Council and Hutt City Council.

Information on whether or not it would be free to dispose of the sand was expected to be shared on Tuesday, they said.

“In the meantime, we have posted Worksafe New Zealand’s advice on our Facebook page.”

McNulty had a handful of emails over the weekend from concerned parents and a few bags had been disposed of over the weekend but he expected the numbers to increase with more communication from the council.

Having kids playing with a product contaminated with asbestos was a “major concern” and a “failure of the highest degree”, McNulty said.

“I’m a parent myself … I’m pretty disgusted that we have a situation where that’s arisen.”

Council would dispose of the product but McNulty had questions about whether the cost would be paid by the council or refunded by the manufacturer.

“Council certainly has no control over what gets sold or doesn't get sold in schools in New Zealand so the costs are being socialised across Wellingtonians for what seems to be a pretty massive failure of the manufacturer and retailer.”

Correction: An earlier reference in this story to ‘kinetic sand’ has been removed. The recall does not involve sand sold under the brand Kinetic Sand. (Amended: November 19, 2025, 5.50pm)