Ten public schools in Canberra will be closed today and at least another 10 will be partially closed due to potential asbestos contamination.

The risk relates to the use of a decorative coloured sand, which has been found this week to contain traces of chrysotile — a type of asbestos.

The closures affect the following schools:

Whole school closures:

Black Mountain School

Campbell Primary School

Charles Weston School

Charnwood-Dunlop Primary School

Evatt Primary School

Florey Primary School

Lyons Early Childhood School

Malkara School

Namadgi School

Latham Primary

Partial school closures impacting multiple cohorts:

Charles Conder Primary School — Preschool and Small Group Program

North Ainslie Primary School — Preschool and year 1

Torrens Primary School — Preschool, Kinderga

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