It’s official. Fake stone products will be stopped at the Australian border starting next year, marking the final step in a national ban on once-popular building materials that cause the deadly dust disease silicosis.
Yesterday, the Albanese government announced a total ban on importing engineered stone benchtops, slabs, and panels from January 1, 2025, with the Australian Border Force beefed up to enforce the ban.
Engineered stone, a popular material often used for kitchen benches, has been linked to a surge in deadly lung disease among stonemasons due to its high silica content.
In announcing the total ban, Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt said a ban on imports provided an extra layer of deterrent at the border:
“No one deserves to have their health compromised due to their working environment. These illnesses have been devastating and debilitating for Australian workers and their families, and we cannot continue to allow it to happen.”
Murray Watt, Australia’s Workplace Relations Minister.
The latest move comes after Wood Central reported that Australia became the first jurisdiction in the world to ban engineered stone amid fears that the cutting process could lead to silicious, dubbed “the new asbestos.”
Housing Industry Australia’s industry and policy CEO, Simon Croft, said the industry expected an import ban to follow the domestic ban. Nonetheless, Mr Croft is concerned that the transition has been anything but smooth across all states and territories.
“We would have loved to have seen a consistent transition plan implemented, but the industry is working within the government’s rules.”
In addition to engineered stone, Silica is found in much smaller quantities in other products, such as bricks and sandstone. From September 1, tradies must also comply with new workplace health and safety rules regarding handling all materials containing at least 1% crystalline silica.
Are timber and bamboo alternatives to engineered stone?
In June, Wood Central reported that the decision to ban the material used extensively in kitchen benchtops is likely to impact the Australian building and construction industry significantly.
This begs the question: What are some cost-effective and fit-for-purpose alternatives to engineered stone if not engineered stone? Speaking to ABC Radio Sydney Breakfast in February, Michael Ferry, a kitchen manufacturer and designer, said timber, laminate, bamboo, and polished concrete are viable alternatives to engineered stone.
According to Archipro, timber and even bamboo “is a classic choice for kitchen benchtops, as it gives natural warmth and character,” but it must be coated before us and have oil reapplied.
By contrast, laminate benchtops offer significant advantages. Laminate stands out with its wide range of colours and patterns among kitchen benchtop materials, providing homeowners with ample design options.
It is also quite resistant to staining and easy to keep clean but susceptible to scorching and scratching: “As long as the user is vigilant when cutting or using hot pots/pans, this shouldn’t be a major issue.”
Laminate benchtops are made by squeezing a layer of toughened plastic, an ornamental paper sheet, and a block of engineered wood, such as moisture-tolerant particleboard or medium-density fibreboard.
- To learn more about the decision to ban the manufacture and sale of engineered stone across Australia, visit Wood Central’s special feature.
