Asbestos Found in Children’s Toys Sold at Walmart and Ollie’s
Asbestos Exposure & Bans
Written by Travis Rodgers | Edited by Amy Edel
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled more than 121,000 children’s squeeze toys after testing found tremolite asbestos in the sand inside them. The toys, sold under the Orb Funkee brand at Walmart and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet stores nationwide, are soft, stretchy, sand-filled monkey-shaped toys. Parents who bought them should stop letting children use them immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund.
The recall covers Model 17451, a large golden “monkee,” and Model 41929, an assortment of smaller “monkees” in orange, purple and green. Both have the date code 3102491A. The date code appears on the hand of the larger toy and on the back of the smaller ones.
The Orb Factory imported the toys from China and sold them at stores between February 2025 and April 2026 for between $5 and $40. The same toys had already been recalled in the United Kingdom before the U.S. recall. Contaminated toys likely reached children in multiple countries before the recall.
Linda Reinstein, president and co-founder of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, talked with us about what this recall means for families and the future. She says, “A child’s toy should never contain a known carcinogen. This recall is another reminder that Americans need a comprehensive ban on all asbestos fibers and all uses of asbestos.”
What Parents Need to Do
If your child has one of these toys, act immediately. The CPSC urges parents to immediately remove the toys from children’s reach and discontinue use. Parents also need to verify the date code and lot number on the toy before contacting the manufacturer.
List title: Steps Parents Are Urged to Follow
- Once the date code and lot number are noted, bag up the toy. If the toy is damaged or leaking sand: While wearing a mask and gloves, pick up sand with damp cloths, then double bag the toy, cloths, mask and gloves in heavy-duty plastic sealed with tape. If the toy isn’t damaged: Place the toy in a heavy-duty plastic bag, seal the bag securely with tape.
- Take a photo of the toy in the bag.
- Submit the photo of the toy in the bag to customerservice@orbtoys.com.
- Follow all local and state regulations for disposal.
When cleaning up a damaged toy, don’t vacuum or sweep the sand under any circumstances. Vacuuming can push asbestos fibers into the air, making them easier to inhale and increasing the risk of exposure throughout the home. A damp cloth is the only safe way to clean up loose sand.
Parents can request a refund from The Orb Factory in the same email with the photo of the bagged toy. They can also contact the company Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET at 1-800-741-0089. Further refund information can also be found online at orbtoys.com, clicking “Recall Information” at the bottom of the page.
What Is Tremolite Asbestos and Why Is it Dangerous?
Tremolite is 1 of 6 types of asbestos. It’s a mineral naturally found in rock formations. Other minerals like talc and quartz can become contaminated with asbestos during mining as they’re close together in the earth. Many commercial play sands are crushed and ground up quartz, including the quartz sand used to fill the recalled “monkee” toys.
Like all forms of asbestos, experts and global health agencies classify it as carcinogenic to humans, stating there is no safe level of exposure. Asbestos is the primary cause of mesothelioma cancer. It can also cause lung cancer, ovarian cancer and laryngeal cancer.
Asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma can take 20 to 60 years to develop after exposure and there are no immediate symptoms when asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested. Over time the fibers lodge in tissue, causing irritation and eventually cell damage that can lead to cancer. Many people don’t know they’ve been harmed until decades after the original exposure, which makes early precaution especially important.
This Recall Is Part of a Global Risk of Asbestos in Children’s Products
Regulators in Australia first discovered tremolite in colored craft sand in November 2025, which triggered more than 80 recalls across at least 12 countries. The contamination traces back to crushed quartz sand sourced from China. New Zealand temporarily closed 50 schools and daycare centers for cleaning and remediation after teachers found the affected sand in classrooms. Schools and parks have also been closed for remediation in the United Kingdom because of asbestos-contaminated sand, including closures in North East England.
The Guardian reported in January 2026 that its own investigation had found asbestos in toy sand, prompting recalls. The UK’s Office for Product Safety and Standards issued more than 39 recall notices between November 2025 and June 1, 2026, according to The Independent. The recalled items span sand-filled squeeze toys, stretch toys, sand art kits, craft boxes and Montessori-style learning trays. Many were sold through major retailers including Tesco, Asda, Hobbycraft and The Entertainer, as well as through Amazon and TikTok Shop.
A follow-up investigation The Guardian published in May found asbestos in 5 additional products still available for purchase in the UK, including items similar to ones already recalled in the Netherlands. Consumer group Which? found that at least one product subject to an OPSS recall in March remained on sale on Amazon and TikTok Shop as late as May.
The Orb Funkee and recent global recalls are part of a broader pattern of asbestos appearing in products made for children. In 2015, the Environmental Working Group Action Fund commissioned independent testing in the U.S. that found tremolite and chrysotile asbestos in several crayons and crime-scene fingerprint kits imported from China. The contaminated products included toys sold at major U.S. retailers, and the CPSC had no policy specifically addressing asbestos in crayons at the time.
In 2019, the FDA confirmed asbestos contamination in makeup products marketed to young girls at Claire’s retail stores, including the JoJo Siwa Makeup Set. Talc was an ingredient in these cosmetics and the talc was contaminated with asbestos fibers.
ADAO Warned Regulators Months Before the Recall
Linda Reinstein tells us ADAO warned regulators about this pattern and risk of asbestos contamination in children’s products months before this current recall. “We’ve seen asbestos turn up in crayons, makeup and now squeeze toys. The science hasn’t changed and the danger hasn’t changed. What hasn’t changed either is the law. Congress needs to pass The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act and end this once and for all.”
On April 1, 2026, ADAO sent a formal letter to CPSC Chair Peter Feldman and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, warning about the public health risk, citing the global recalls and calling on regulators to conduct targeted testing of similar products available in the U.S. The CPSC told Consumer Reports it was monitoring the situation, but took no public action at that time.
Reinstein says the current recall demonstrates ADAO’s concerns are warranted. She shares, “The recall of more than 120,000 toys validates those concerns and underscores the need for stronger oversight, comprehensive testing and a complete ban on asbestos.”
ADAO has now also sent an open letter to Congress connecting the current recall to a broader regulatory failure. June 22, 2026, marks 10 years since President Barack Obama signed the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act into law, the legislation that gave the EPA stronger authority to regulate dangerous chemicals. Reinstein and ADAO argue that despite that milestone, the law still hasn’t delivered the full protection Americans were promised. As long as asbestos remains legal and children can still be exposed to it in their toys, advocates say the job isn’t done.
The Push for a Complete Ban
This recall puts fresh pressure on a years-long effort to close the gaps in U.S. asbestos law. As Reinstein says, “Without a ban, no product category is truly safe, not even the toys and other products we buy for our children.“
The EPA finalized its Part 1 Chrysotile Asbestos Rule in March 2024, the first successful federal ban on a form of asbestos in more than 30 years. But advocates say it doesn’t go far enough. It covers only chrysotile asbestos used in specific industrial applications and doesn’t address all 6 asbestos fiber types, including tremolite.
The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act, known as ARBAN, would establish a comprehensive federal ban on all 6 asbestos fiber types. Senator Jeff Merkley, Representative Suzanne Bonamici and Representative Don Bacon introduced the bipartisan bill to close the loopholes the current rules leave open. ARBAN would also strengthen public health protections and deliver a durable solution that doesn’t depend on changing administrations or years of litigation.
Parents who want to take action beyond disposal can also contact their congressional representatives to urge support for ARBAN. And families who have experienced asbestos exposure and face an asbestos-related disease can get free assistance from a Patient Advocate. They’ll connect them with the right specialists for them, schedule appointments, provide them with resources like nutrition guides and support groups and help them navigate insurance and financial assistance.
