Safe Play Sand for Sandpit?

[FriskyFrog]

Sorry, posting for traffic.

Just bought a sandpit and was about to order some nice cheap playsand from Tesco when I found out about crystalline silica and asbestos tremolite. Both known carcinogens. Common to find them in play sand apparently if the sand is manufactured from crushed rock instead of being natural sand taken from a beach or river.

Am looking at playsand that claims to be non toxic and conforms to BS EN71-3-2013, e.g. ELC and others, but the standard does not cover silica or asbestos tremolite, and none of them say how the sand is produced / sourced.

Has anyone already done the homework on this and know of a properly safe playsand?

I am rather shocked to see that Tesco's playsand is silica sand now.

I think juxta has it.
To spend so much time researching playsand, starting a thread about it, dragging up old reports from the Internet etc is NOT normal behaviour. You sound like you have a problem with anxiety, in fact you sound well in its grip.....

We bought play sand from Argos too and didn't even think about the other stuff.

If you're that worried, either return the sand pit or turn it into a water play instead.

Gen. I avoid those plastics for my kids, doesn't almost everyone?

Juxta. There is more out there, if you care to look.

Frisky frog - we got ours from the beach due to the very reasons you've mentioned and it stayed in our sand pit for 5 years, played with almost every day. To the Posters who say there are do many cancer causing chemicals we come into contact with every day, it's not relevant because it's unrealistic to think we could prevent that but clearly making an informed choice about something we know to be toxic is wise no ?

No anxiety here Gen, I can assure you. Are you anxious that there might or should be?

UK Evan. But it's a rather relevant study regardless, with its focus on early childhood exposure etc

But not particularly relevant then, if you live in the UK. As sand worldwide differs, surely? Manufacture of play-sand in the UK will surely be different from the manufacture of similar play-sand in the US (much the same as their production of meat, just as an example). US meat is more likely to be filled with antibiotics and other chemicals, whereas in the UK free-range and organic is more easily accessible. You can't really compare the two.

And, as others have pointed out, that report is very out of date. You are worrying too much.
Relax, breathe, let your children play and have fun. (Meant in the nicest possible way)! Really

Genx, diagnosing someone with anxiety on a forum isn't normal behaviour.

Vote. Now, that is a good idea! I never even thought of that.

Chocomochi If you're that worried, either return the sand pit or turn it into a water play instead

You cannot be serious! Do you have any idea how much bacteria WATER harbours?

No evan. manufactured sand, from quartz I believe, is the problem both in US and here.

Ok sure so clearly it's just play sand you are fixated on, everything else you are relaxed with...

It's pretty ridiculous to accuse Tesco of supplying kids sand that can cause cancer and try and make everyone else who doesn't have this obsession with it sound like we don't care about our children's health when you have no evidence to back it up.

Anyway, good luck with your sand search.

If you're that worried, either return the sand pit or turn it into a water play instead.

Or, y'know, just do a bit of homework and buy sand that's safe??

Juxta, Tesco's sand is manufactured silica sand.

You seem to have a problem with the fact that I care what carcinogens are in my children's toys. I don't know why.

All sand contains silica (that's what it is!). The stuff that can cause cancer is the respirable silica, the very, very fine bits that can get deep into the lungs and cause damage.

Only a tiny portion of play sand (or beach sand) will be the respirable stuff. They extract it cos it's worth £££ as it's useful for other things.

You really do not need to worry about the silica in play sand causing cancer [:)]

But this is the point, Frisky, that you're not getting. We've bought safe sand. My DC are fine, strapping, healthy young adults. As are all the friends that played in our sand pits, and all of those children in each other's sandpits.

When your DC go to Nursery and School - will you forbid them from playing in the sandpits provided (you will look like a bit of a loon if you do). Just because you don't like the contents of the sand. And have you stopped them from using certain washing products and toothpastes and shampoos and bubble baths and ... and ... and ...!
The point some posters are trying to make is - you cannot stop your children from coming into contact with anything that might be the slightest bit carcinogenic. LIFE is carcinogenic. How will you cope with that if you can't manage a bit of sand?

The stuff you'll be reading online about the dangers of respirable silica is aimed at those in the construction industry who are exposed to this on a daily basis, in larger quantitie, day in day out for years. Respirable silica is in plaster dusts and cements which are very fine powders, much easier to inhale. Someone working with it every day, without any respiratory protection is much more likely to get ill.

Using play sand in a sand pit is not going to cause cancer :)

Evan. No, I do get it. The risk can show up years later. It is an avoidable risk that I choose to avoid. I expect them to use the sandpit at home a lot over quite a few summers.
ELC sand, that you bought, may well be safe, I am confirming their source / production method. If it is, then great.

MrsPigling it is prcisely because play sand is so much finer that it does pose the risks of inhaling tiny particles.

sand is made up of silica...so don't know how you're going to avoid that Im afraid!

for what its worth I used play sand from Early Learning centre for my 3 dc 20 yrs ago (bought several times I may add)...hasn't done them any harm
I'd be more worried about my kids being taught in old school buildings with asbestos in the roof tiles!

Okay - you carry on with your research then Frisky. I'll be interested in your findings, and would really like to know if you are never going to use any of the products suggested above as they may possibly be carcinogen-carrying. Will you allow your children to play with sand at school or nursery, or indeed, at other friends' houses (I've asked that question twice before, but you haven't answered it yet)

And again - the only research link you have managed to provide is old, old, old. Anything more recent we may be able to relate to? Things have probably moved on since then.

No really, the sand particles are NOT the carcingoen. It's the respirable silica, which is the danger, these are mcuh smaller than the grains of sand. Most of the play sand is the non-respirable bit and is not carcinogenic.

I write COSHH assessments for a living and do know a bit about this....

If you are seriously worried about research done 30 years ago, you are going to have big problems.

Nothing will be safe in that case

Correct MrsPigling. The sand particles are not the carcinogen; I never meant they were. The whole product is more finely ground, is the point.

Evan. I don't intend to do more research. It is a known fact that carcinogens exist in some play sands.

My time is better spent asking the companies about their products, and seeking existing knowledge on social media. Both of these are sensible approaches.
This thread was only ever intended, as per my OP, to establish whether anyone knew of a playsand without the named carcinogens.

I see no reason for people to be irritated by that. Yet, so many unhelpful posts, demanding to know if I eat meat, if I am clinically anxious, and other such nonsense.

Frisk. it is a known fact that carcinogens exist in detergents and meat. (Yes I know you are Frisky, but you do keep calling me Evan. (with the full stop) rather than Evans) Sorry - was starting to find it mildly irritating.

I haven't wondered if you are clinically anxious at all - have just mentioned that neither you nor your children can avoid carcinogens totally throughout their/your lives. Life itself is carcinogenic.

And for the fourth time of asking - are you intending to stop your children from playing in sand that hasn't met your exacting standards? I really am curious now, not trying to be difficult. I just wonder how you will enforce this.

Sorry op, but you are way over thinking this. What are you going to do when your child plays with sand, plastic toys, mud etc at nursery / school / friends houses? Life is full of risks and there are dangers in everything, but it's unhealthy to be quite as obsessed as you sound.