The Australian federal government has announced a ban on engineered stone products following a rise in workers developing the incurable and deadly lung disease silicosis.
Commonwealth, state and territory leaders agreed to the national ban at the Industrial Relations Ministers Meeting on 13 December 2023 and accepted the findings and recommendation of Safe Work Australia’s Decision Regulation Impact Statement: Prohibition on the use of engineered stone and agreed to prohibit the use of engineered stone under the model WHS laws.
Ministers unanimously agreed to prohibit the use, supply and manufacture of all engineered stone with the majority of jurisdictions to commence the prohibition from 1 July 2024.
In making their decision on engineered stone, Ministers noted the key findings in the Decision Regulation Impact Statement that:
- Rates of silicosis and silica-related diseases in Australian workers have risen substantially in recent years, with a disproportionate number of diagnoses in engineered stone workers.
- When engineered stone is processed, the dust generated has different physical and chemical properties that likely contribute to more rapid and severe disease.
- There is no scientific evidence for a safe threshold of crystalline silica content in engineered stone, or that lower silica content engineered stone is safer to work with.
- Silicosis is preventable, but WHS laws are not protecting workers due to a persistent lack of compliance with obligations and responsibilities under these laws across industry at all levels.
Queensland first put a proposed ban on the national agenda in 2018 in response to escalating health impacts on workers, including silicosis, caused by the use of engineered stone.
The Australian government has also flagged it will put in place a complementary customs prohibition on engineered stone to provide an additional layer of enforcement and deterrence at the border.
Ministers also agreed to implement a harmonised national labour hire licensing scheme, with the draft intergovernmental agreement and funding to establish the scheme to be further considered by Ministers in mid-2024.
It was agreed that there is a need for a transition period for contracts entered into on or before today’s date.
Ministers agreed to base the definition of engineered stone excludes concrete and cement products; bricks, pavers and other similar blocks; porcelain products; ceramic wall and floor tiles; roof tiles; grout, mortar and render; and plasterboard.
Major retailers including Bunnings and IKEA have already announced they will phase out sales of engineered stone.
The meeting notes can be found here.