Sand in children’s playgrounds is replaced to prevent dangerous diseases

Sand in children’s playgrounds is replaced to prevent dangerous diseases

As the days are getting longer and longer, the summer is about to start, which means that the little inhabitants of apartment houses are also starting to enjoy the warm weather. Sandcastles are one of the most popular outdoor games, making sandboxes in the yards of apartment blocks one of the main gathering places for children. For the well-being of the children and their parents, the “Civinity” team makes sure every year that the outdoor activities are safe and use only fresh and clean sand. At least 100 sandboxes for children’s play in new housing projects are due to be renovated by the end of June to implement the spring maintenance work already started.

Playgrounds are a medium for parasite spread

“We care about children’s health and do everything we can to prevent sickness outbreaks. Replacing the sand is essential, as over time the sandboxes become contaminated with small micro-organisms that are invisible to the human eye and are spread through the faeces left behind by dogs and cats. Parasites that are dangerous to health, such as ascarids, hairworms and toxocariasis, breed successfully in sandboxes. ­Toxocariasis is one of the most common parasitic diseases, which can be contracted when worm eggs enter the digestive tract through the mouth, which can lead to the risk of intestinal infectious diseases,” says Dovilė Feoktistovaitė, Head of Building Management department at “Servico”, a member of the “Civinity Group” of companies.

Although toxocariasis can be contracted all year round, it is during the warmer months that the chances of infection are highest. Warmer weather provides a favourable breeding ground for micro-organisms and the highest number of mature eggs of these parasites, while human contact with the soil – especially in case with children – increases significantly. Meanwhile, during the winter, when the sandboxes are not in use, they are covered with a special coating to protect the sand from possible contamination.

Only high-quality sand is used

According to D.  Feoktistovaitė, only safe sand with the necessary quality criteria and inspection certificates is used for children’s outdoor play, which is sourced from specialised sand quarries.

“Suppliers have certain licences to ensure that the sand they sell is not contaminated. Meanwhile, we dispose of already used and no longer needed soil in a responsible manner: after it has been removed from residential areas, it is piled in special containers and disposed of with other green waste, respecting environmental standards,” says D. Feoktistovaite. She adds that if residents notice that the sand has not yet been replaced in their yards, they are invited to inform their building manager immediately.