"Even Minimal Exposure Is Deadly"... Group 1 Carcinogen Found in Children's Colored Sand Products

Asbestos Found in 9 Out of 18 Products Sold on the Market

"Even Small Exposures Can Be Fatal for Children"

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A recent investigation by a civic group has revealed that asbestos, a Group 1 carcinogen, was detected in half of the colored sand products for children currently distributed on the market.

The Environmental Health Citizens' Center held a press conference at its office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 28th, announcing, "We purchased 18 colored sand products currently being sold on the market and commissioned specialized asbestos analysis institutes in Korea and Japan. As a result, tremolite asbestos was detected in 9 of them."

Tremolite asbestos has been banned for use in Korea since 2003 and is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO). Asbestos can cause lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma, among other diseases.

Asbestos was found in 7 out of 9 sand-type products and in 2 out of 9 clay-type products. By country of manufacture, 3 out of 8 Korean products and 4 out of 7 Chinese products contained asbestos.

In one of these products, tremolite asbestos was detected at a level of 0.47%. This is 4.7 times higher than the current legal limit of 0.1% set by the Asbestos Safety Management Act.

In most of the products where asbestos was detected, dolomite was identified as the main mineral. In some products, talc was also detected. Both dolomite and talc are classified as substances that may contain asbestos.

Choi Yeyong, Director of the Environmental Health Citizens' Center, stated, "Colored sand is a stationery product mainly used by children, and there is great concern because exposure to even a small amount of asbestos can cause fatal asbestos-related diseases." He also called on the government to halt sales and recall the affected products, carry out remediation measures at facilities where these products are used, and monitor the health of users. He insisted that a full investigation of all colored sand products currently on the market and a review of the raw material supply chain are also necessary.

Lee Sungjin, who is battling malignant mesothelioma due to environmental asbestos exposure during childhood, said, "It is shocking that so many children's products containing asbestos are being sold," and urged for immediate regulation.

Meanwhile, the issue of asbestos in colored sand products has also been reported overseas. In Australia and New Zealand, asbestos was detected in colored sand products, leading to school closures. In Japan, approximately 48,000 units of Silverback's sand art set for children were recalled.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.