Toxicity of play sand worries parents

Cindy Bennett's only initial concern with the sandbox in her son's first outdoor play set was the mess it would create. She never thought the threat of cancer would be the issue that would keep Angus' sandbox empty to this day.

"When we went to Lowe's, Home Depot, et cetera, to find something to fill that box, it seems that most play sand really isn't sand at all, but it seems to be derived from quarried quartz rocks," said Bennett, an agent with RE/MAX Action Real Estate in Richmond.

Crystalline silica dust from the engineered sand, considered a lung hazard, is regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in industrial settings. It's recognized as a carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency -- "not really what I want my little guy playing in and throwing in the air," Bennett said.

There have been no documented cases of children developing cancer from play sand. Most warnings refer to frequent, long-term exposure.

Nevertheless, sandbox play is the latest beneficial developmental activity to have lost its innocence. Lead in swing-set coatings, pool drains that can trap children underwater, carcinogenic plastic in drinking vessels and toxic play sand are seen as either true causes for concern or just the latest causes for overprotective parents.

On the numerous online mommy blogs, the issue, although not a new one, pops up frequently. "It's been one of our most popular posts," said Katy Farber, author and founder of http://www.non-toxickids.net, who bought sand for her children's box but left it bagged in her shed after researching its contents.

One mother on richmondmommies.com recently noted that she was laughed at for raising the question of sand safety.

"I know that I am hyper-vigilant compared to many moms," Bennett said, "but I think that there is a reasonable expectation that if something is called 'play sand,' it should be safe for play."

Quikrete and other brands marketed as play sand contain not only crystalline silica but traces of the mineral tremolite, a form of asbestos. For those reasons, California requires a warning label -- part of the state's Proposition 65 governing hazardous substances -- on play-sand bags. The label states that the product contains chemicals known "to cause cancer, birth defects and reproductive harm."

In area Home Depot and Lowe's stores, 50-pound bags of Quikrete Play Sand sell for about $3.50. There are no warning labels on the bags unless they're sold in California, according to Quikrete.

A tear-off information sheet near the displays notes the sand is "washed, screened and dried." A fact sheet from Quikrete calls the sand "a perfectly safe product."

The fact sheet pointed out that silica is found in a variety of manufactured materials, including pharmaceuticals, household cleaners and glassware. It noted that Proposition 65 "does not distinguish between long-term intense exposure to silica in industrial contexts such as sandblasting and occasional exposure in outdoor sandboxes."

However, Quikrete recommends that consumers dampen the sand to minimize the possibility of ambient silica in the air.

"The idea of keeping it moist is ridiculous," Farber said. "Kids are going to be pouring it or playing in it on dry summer days. You can see the dust in the air as it's being poured. It's easily ingestible."

Dr. Rutherfoord Rose, a toxicologist and director of the Virginia Poison Center, takes the issue with a grain of sand.

"It's mostly much ado about nothing," Rose said. "There's a real difference between casual exposure in everyday living and occupational exposure -- working in a quartz mine."

The exception would be children who have reactive airway disease or other serious pulmonary issues, he said.

Sandboxes in public playgrounds carry a whole other set of issues, including animal waste. The city of Richmond is phasing out most playground sand in favor of engineered mulch that a spokesperson said would be safer and cleaner. Remaining sand areas in tot lots are cleaned "on a rotating basis," she said.

In a debate on a mommy blog called lilsugar.com, one anonymous poster noted that the beach "is one giant sandbox. Are people going to start boycotting their kids from playing on the beach, too?"

The body "is pretty resilient about handling small doses of things," Rose said. "There are many more potential health risks to children than a sandbox. I wouldn't hesitate to let my children play in a sandbox."

As for the labels, Rose said, California warnings "are more politically charged than scientifically charged."

Rose said the Consumer Product Safety Commission is testing play sand for potential risks. If researchers find it's a hazard, they'll pull it from the market.

Contact Julie Young at (804) 649-6732 or .