Chrysotile asbestos ban nationwide from 31 December 2003
The use of chrysotile (white) asbestos will be banned in New South Wales and all other Australian states and territories from midnight 31 December 2003 in line with a National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) prohibition.
The ban will take effect simultaneously under regulations gazetted in each state and territory occupational health and safety jurisdiction. The Commonwealth will also be banning the import and export of chrysotile asbestos at the same time.
Exposure to chrysotile asbestos can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Because of its physical strength and thermal ability, chrysotile asbestos has been widely used in both industrial and domestic applications.
These include friction materials, such as some brake pads and clutch linings; thermal and acoustic insulation; asbestos cement sheeting and gaskets.
The nationwide ban does not apply to chrysotile asbestos products that are currently in use. However, existing products must be removed prior to demolition, partial demolition, renovation or when determined by a risk assessment. Chrysotile products cannot be reused.
The ban on the import and use of chrysotile asbestos does not include materials: used for research or analysis; being removed or stored prior to disposal; where it is encountered during non-asbestos mining; or being used for display purposes, such as the display of historical items containing asbestos.
Initially, there will also be a small number of time-limited transitional exemptions for some specific chrysotile products until suitable safe alternatives are identified and tested.
The four specific transitional exemptions cover the following areas:
- compressed asbestos fibre gaskets for use with saturated steam, superheated steam or substances classified as dangerous goods
- compressed asbestos fibre gaskets for use with chlorine, where the plant has design process conditions of –450 Celsius and 1500kPa pressure
- products consisting of a mixture of asbestos with a phenol formaldehyde resin or with creylic formaldehyde resin used in vanes for rotary vacuum pumps, vanes for rotary compressors or split face seals of at least 150mm in diameter used to prevent leakage of water from cooling water pumps in fossil fuel electricity generating stations, and
- diaphragms for use in electrolytic cells in existing electrolysis plants for chlor-alkali manufacture.
There is also a specific time-limited transitional exemption for the Australian Defence Organisation for mission critical chrysotile products.
During the transitional exemption period, users must notify WorkCover of their intention to use any of the above chrysotile products.