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Asbestos is a banned product

Since 31 December 2003, there has been an Australia-wide ban on the importation, supply and use of all types of asbestos. Products that have asbestos, are banned imports. Importers must make sure that the products they import do not have asbestos.

Work health and safety (WHS) and environment laws in all states and territories ban the unauthorised supply, transport, manufacturing, use and handling of asbestos.

Assess and manage consumer product safety risks

Assess decorative or coloured sand product safety risks

If you supplied, or were involved in supplying decorative or coloured sand products in Australia that contain asbestos, you should assess the risks and take steps to protect consumers.

Consider your safety risk assessment based on latest research:

  • In July 2026, Auckland University of Technology published preliminary results of an air research study on some play sand products. This research found that asbestos fibres can be released from samples of some play sand products and become airborne. We understand that the tested products were previously sold in New Zealand and Australia. Read more on the Auckland University of Technology website and the ASSEA website.

Consider if you should stop supply of any sand products while you conduct or revise a risk assessment.

View an information sheet on asbestos in coloured sand on the Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency (ASSEA) website.

Manage workplace risks

Each state and territory has work health and safety laws related to asbestos, which include provisions for asbestos identification. For advice on the specific WHS requirements that apply to your workplace, contact your relevant WHS regulator. Safe Work Australia has also developed guidance to help manage asbestos risks in the workplace.

Understand the recall process

Our recall guidelines may help to assess product safety risks, including any information you need to gather and questions to consider in deciding whether to conduct a voluntary recall.

We encourage businesses to:

  • regularly review the list of ACCC product recalls, as recall notices may be updated with new information and further recalls may be added as this evolves
  • undertake regular reviews of your product range to find out whether you are supplying a recalled or similar product.

Products can be tested for the presence of asbestos.

Asbestos testing requirements

Testing requirements for products that have asbestos are set out in work health and safety regulations. Further guidance on testing requirements is on ASSEA’s website.

Under the WHS regulations, asbestos testing in Australia must be conducted by a laboratory that is accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA). Find a NATA-accredited laboratory.

When testing is done overseas, before shipping to Australia, ISO/IECD 17025 accreditation must be from a testing laboratory recognised by the NATA through an international mutual recognition arrangement.

The Australian Border Force can also direct an importer to have the products sampled and tested at the border if they suspect asbestos is present.

Testing techniques and standards

Testing of products to identify the presence of asbestos must be conducted by a NATA accredited laboratory. The laboratory must be accredited for one of these test methods:

  • AS 4964-2004: Method for the qualitative identification of asbestos in bulk samples
  • AS 5370:2024, Sampling and qualitative identification of asbestos in bulk materials.

There are several techniques that can be used under these standards to determine if a product contains asbestos. Polarised light microscopy (PLM) and dispersion staining are the accepted primary techniques for identifying the most common forms of asbestos found in Australia.

Other methods that can detect different or smaller asbestos fibres may be required to confirm if asbestos is present in coloured sand products. These include scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). By using electrons rather than light, these techniques provide a much higher sensitivity and can detect asbestos at levels below the limit of detection for PLM and very fine or thin asbestos fibres.

The UK Office for Product Safety and Standards and the New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment recommend SEM and TEM testing techniques for detecting asbestos in consumer products containing sand. This is because these testing techniques can more reliably identify low asbestos concentrations, below that detectable by PLM, and fine or thin asbestos fibres likely to be present in contaminated products.

Supplier responsibilities for testing

As the importer, supplier or manufacturer of decorative coloured sand products you are responsible for making sure that the products imported and supplied in Australia meet legal requirements. You must demonstrate that relevant testing of the products has occurred and be satisfied the products do not contain asbestos.

Supplying a product containing low or very low level of asbestos, which is below that detectable by polarised light microscopy, is still against the law. Based on recent recalls, businesses with supply chains using raw materials originating in China may wish to consider the risk in the Australian market and arrange for products to be tested using electron microscopy.  

Further information on testing for asbestos

For information on safe sourcing and appropriate testing of products, see:

How to respond to asbestos contamination

If you receive information, such as a test report, that shows a consumer product you have supplied contains asbestos, you should act quickly to:

  1. stop supplying or using the product
  2. remove all affected products from supply
  3. refer to the requirements published by your local area's work or occupational health and safety regulator (ASSEA website)
  4. notify the ACCC of a voluntary product safety recall.

Recalls for products that may contain asbestos

Many businesses have voluntarily recalled decorative and coloured sand products that may have asbestos in Australia and overseas. We do not issue voluntary recalls. If a supplier finds that a product they supply is unsafe, the supplier should follow our recall guidelines, recall the product voluntarily and remove it from the market.

Suppliers must, under section 128 of the Australian Consumer Law, notify the responsible Commonwealth Minister of a voluntary recall within 2 days of taking recall action. You can submit a recall notice online.  

Voluntary recalls for decorative and coloured sand products are published on our website. More recalls or updates to existing recalls may occur in the future.

View the full list of recalls for decorative and coloured sand products.

Disposal of asbestos

You should review the safe disposal and health information for consumers provided by asbestos safety and health experts, and available on our website.

Further information on the disposal of asbestos waste, including disposal facilities in each state and territory is on The Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency (ASSEA) website. This webpage may be updated as new information is received.

If unsure of how to dispose of a decorative or coloured sand product, contact the relevant WHS regulator in your local area.  Refer to contact details in ASSEA’s information sheet about asbestos in coloured sand.