Dozens more Canberra schools are closed today, due to concerns over coloured sand products, potentially contaminated with asbestos. New recalls were issued over the weekend, this time for products sold at Kmart and Target Stores, nation-wide.
00:00It's been a very quiet day or morning across all these schools in Canberra.
00:06This morning 69 of them closed, one of them behind me, Lyon and Primary School.
00:10No one, no students have been arriving here at school this morning.
00:14We did have the principal here ready to tell students to head home for the day if any arrived,
00:20but none did in the end.
00:24But certainly these schools have closed today, causing a lot of disruption around Canberra.
00:29Thousands and thousands of Canberran families suddenly incorporated into this closure of these schools.
00:36If you look at the numbers, it's about three quarters of all public schools in the Territory.
00:41So a significant decision for the ACT Government.
00:44Now that's come after a new recall that was issued for some coloured decorative sand over the weekend.
00:51Those products were sold at Kmart and Target.
00:54Now that was a different recall than what was issued earlier last week.
00:59That was for other decorative sand products.
01:01Now that initial recall prompted the closure of 16 schools in Canberra on Friday.
01:09But the government says that this new additional recall over the weekend,
01:13those products were more widely used in ACT public schools.
01:17And that's why so many more schools have been closed today.
01:21We've heard from the ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry this morning.
01:24Now she says that some of these closures might go for some days.
01:30Look at this stage, it could be several days.
01:32We're really hopeful that we'll be able to get across all our schools today to eliminate all of the sand that's been identified across all our schools.
01:42As soon as we have information, we'll make sure we let families know.
01:46Schools have different degrees of the sand being spread across the school environment.
01:51So once we have a better picture, we'll be able to let families know.
01:54Now we know that across ACT public schools today that are closed because of this decorative sand,
02:03there is visual inspections going on to determine exactly where the sand is located in the schools and how much sand there is.
02:10Then some licensed asbestos contractors need to come in with full protective clothing and masks
02:17and then make sure that the sand is removed safely, make sure the area is clean.
02:23We'll get a clearer picture later today, Gemma, exactly how many schools will be able to reopen tomorrow.
02:29And Monty, can you tell us a bit more about why we've seen such widespread action in the ACT that we haven't seen in other states?
02:36Well, that's right, Gemma. We know that the ACT has gone largely on its own in regards to school closures.
02:44We're certainly the only jurisdiction that's seen a significant number of schools closed.
02:49The Education Minister and the government says that's because of the ACT's really strong and robust work-safe laws here in the Territory.
03:01There's some really strong regulation when it comes to asbestos as well.
03:05And they say that they're enacting on that law.
03:08They're responding to that regulation.
03:10And as a result of that, they need to close these schools to safely remove the sand from these facilities.
03:17We know that there's also been a lot of concern from people in the community and also family members
03:22exactly what the risk is in regards to this asbestos-contaminated sand.
03:27We did hear from asbestos expert Anthony Linton a little earlier this morning.
03:32Here's what he had to say.
03:34We think actually the risks to any individual are going to be very, very low.
03:38The way that this is encapsulated within the sand, in normal use for how schools would have
03:44used this, the risk to any children is going to be very, very small.
03:48That's a similar sentiment that the ACT government is saying.
03:53They say that the risk is low, but they do have to take this measure to close these schools
03:59because they're following the rules and laws here in the ACT.
04:03When it comes to other jurisdictions and states around the country, we know these products
04:07have been sold at retailers right across the country.
04:11Retailers like Officeworks, Woolworths, and as I said, Kmart and Target.
04:15We know that these products have been in other schools and classrooms in other jurisdictions.
04:24In other states, they're either isolating those classrooms, so moving students to other areas
04:29of that school, or they are just safely removing them without having to close the school.
04:36So certainly the ACT having a lot more disruption here than in other states.
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