Asbestos Advice Northern Region

26/11/2025

Understanding Asbestos: What’s the Difference Between Class A and Class B Materials?

When we talk about asbestos in New Zealand, you’ll often hear the terms Class A and Class B.�These come directly from the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 and describe the type of asbestos-containing material (ACM)

Here’s what they mean in everyday language:

🔶 CLASS A ASBESTOS (Friable Asbestos)
Official definition:�Asbestos that can be crumbled, pulverised, or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry.�(Friable = easily becomes airborne)

Examples include:
Sprayed-on insulation
Pipe/boiler lagging
Old fireproofing materials
Loose-fill asbestos

Weak, deteriorated materials that are breaking down.
Why it’s high risk:�Friable asbestos releases fibres easily. Even small disturbance can make fibres airborne, which is when exposure risk increases.

🔷 CLASS B ASBESTOS (Non-Friable or Bonded Asbestos)
Official definition:�Asbestos-containing material where the fibres are strongly bound within a solid matrix.�(Non-friable = stable unless cut, drilled, broken, or weathered)

Common examples in NZ buildings:
Asbestos-cement sheets (AC sheets, “fibro”)
Asbestos cement roofing
Vinyl floor tiles with asbestos backing
Textured coatings (some types)
Old pipes, flues, gaskets, fencing panels

Risk level:�Lower than friable when intact.�BUT: if damaged, aged, drilled, sanded, or weathered, it can become friable, increasing the risk.

🧪 How Do You Know Which One You’re Dealing With?
You cannot confirm whether a material contains asbestos simply by looking at it.

In NZ, this can only be confirmed by:
-a licensed asbestos assessor taking a proper sample and
-analysis by an IANZ-accredited laboratory
These two steps together give you a correct, legally recognised answer.

📍 Where Are These Found in NZ?
If your home, school, or workplace was built before 2000, asbestos-containing materials may be present.�

Common places include:
Ceilings, walls, bathrooms, floor tiles
Roofs, cladding, soffits
Old heaters, flues, fireplaces
Adhesives, sealants, insulation products

🛑 Why This Matters
Understanding Class A vs Class B materials helps you:
-recognise which materials are higher risk
-know when to stop work immediately
-know when to call a professional
-keep children and staff safe in schools and ECEs
-respond safely during incidents like product recalls

👷 Need clarity or testing?
If you have a product or material you’re unsure about, a licensed asbestos assessor can safely take a sample and confirm exactly what you’re dealing with.

20/11/2025

✅ FAQ: “How Many Fibres Does It Take To Be Dangerous?”

Understanding the risk without minimising it.

This is one of the most common questions we are receiving right now.
People naturally assume that “more fibres = higher danger,” and want to know what the “safe number” is.

Here’s the truth:

🔹 Asbestos risk doesn’t work on a simple fibre-count scale.

There is no safe number of fibres and no threshold where exposure becomes “harmless.”
Asbestos is a hazardous substance by definition, and the risk depends on multiple factors — not just concentration.

🔹 In situations like the coloured sand recall, the key question is whether fibres can become airborne.

Asbestos is most dangerous when fibres are released into the air and can be breathed in.
That’s why the Ministry of Education and WorkSafe guidance focuses on:

-isolating the material

-preventing disturbance

-getting it tested properly

🔹 Different asbestos types behave differently.

Tremolite, chrysotile, and other forms have different fibre shapes and behaviours.
This means fibre number alone doesn’t give the full picture of risk.

🔹 This is why testing is essential.

Until a product is tested by an IANZ-accredited laboratory, you can’t know which fibres (if any) are present.

🔹 Important:

Nothing in this post is intended to downplay the situation.
Asbestos-containing products must always be treated seriously until proven otherwise.
If a product is suspected, follow Ministry of Education safety guidance and keep the area isolated until testing confirms what you're dealing with.

🟦 Why We’re Sharing This

Our role is to help schools and the community pause, assess, and act calmly.
Clear information reduces panic — but it also prevents unsafe assumptions.

20/11/2025

UPDATE: Superdeal Craft Sand 380g has now also been recalled.

🚨Product Recall🚨 - Superdeal Craft Sand 380g
A further small quantity of craft sand is subject to a precautionary recall due to positive asbestos test results. See recall notice for further details.
What should you do right now:
• Stop using these products immediately.
• Do not let children touch or play with the sand.
• Seal the sand in a sturdy container and keep it out of reach.
• Do not throw it in household rubbish or vacuum it up.
• Refer to the clean-up and disposal instructions in the Health NZ webpage https://info.health.nz/.../haza.../asbestos/asbestos-in-sand
• Once secured, contact the retailer for a refund under the Consumer Guarantees Act.

Important note on testing: We are aware that some independent testing is taking place. If any sand product is found to test positive for asbestos presence following independent testing we are asking that they send copies of the test report to [email protected] so that we can reach out to the supplier/ manufacturer to facilitate the recall process.

https://www.productsafety.govt.nz/recalls/craft-sand-380g

19/11/2025

19/11/2025

📌 FAQ: “What if the sand has already been vacuumed?”

This is one of the most common questions we’re receiving, so we want to offer some clarity while staying aligned with current guidance from the regulatory bodies.

If the sand has already been vacuumed, please don’t panic — many households have done the same before the recall information was widely shared.

At this stage, the official agencies have not yet confirmed whether normal household vacuuming would increase the airborne risk for this particular type of sand. Guidance is still being developed as more information becomes available.

What we can say is this:
If you’re feeling unsure or simply want peace of mind, air monitoring is one option. A licensed independent assessor can take air samples from your home to check whether any fibres are present. It’s a straightforward test and can provide reassurance while the official advice is still being finalised.

As we’ve mentioned previously, this type of asbestos is not the kind usually encountered in New Zealand, and new protocols are being developed as more samples are analysed and the actual level of risk becomes clearer.

We’ll continue sharing updates as they are released. In the meantime, feel free to reach out if you have any questions — we’re here to help. 💛

Asbestos Advice – Northern Region

19/11/2025

📢 Public Update: Testing Sand Samples in NZ

We’ve had a lot of questions from the community about taking sand samples directly to laboratories for testing, so we wanted to share some clear guidance.

There are at least nine IANZ-accredited laboratories in New Zealand that are able to test asbestos samples. However, not all of them accept samples directly from the public. That’s where a licensed independent assessor can help — we can safely collect the sample, package it correctly, and send it through the right channels.

There is a cost involved (typically around $130 for the call-out, plus the laboratory fee), but it does ensure the sample is handled correctly and complies with the proper standards.

If a sample ever does come back positive, a licensed assessor is also the person responsible for determining whether there’s any environmental contamination and what the appropriate next steps are.

It’s also worth noting that this situation involves a type of asbestos not usually encountered in New Zealand, and new protocols are being released as samples are analysed and more information becomes available about the actual level of risk.

We’ll keep sharing updates as the situation develops.
If you need help or guidance, feel free to message us anytime — we’re here to support you. 💛

Asbestos Advice – Northern Region

18/11/2025

Update: The products Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has identified are EC Rainbow Sand (1.3kg) and Creatistics - Coloured Sand (1kg), and Kmart NZ’s 14-piece Sand Castle Building Set (Batch no: 42975724), Blue Magic Sand (Batch no: 42304364), Green Magic Sand (Batch no: 432919650) and Pink Magic Sand (Batch no: 42304371).

Educational Colours and Kmart have recalled some coloured sand products sold in New Zealand due to potential asbestos contamination.

18/11/2025

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/play-sand-asbestos-northland-schools-close-as-classrooms-tested-for-contamination/3SJNEG3DQRGUDPRKTUMXW3PXZY/

Whangārei Primary School closed on Tuesday to allow for testing of at least 10 classrooms.

17/11/2025

Please contact us if you would like your product collected and sampled. We are happy to help with advice on how best to move forward.

Fears over asbestos-contaminated sand have led to the closure of at least seven schools today after a list of recalled products grew over the weekend.