Engineered stone to be outlawed across Australia from 1 July 2024

Smart Property Investment previously noted a damning Safe Work Australia report that showed engineered stone workers have been “dramatically” over-represented in silicosis diagnoses.

South Australia and NSW were the first states to say they would enact statewide bans, while Queensland and Tasmania had previously thrown their support behind national bans.

Bunnings, IKEA and Mitre 10 had also thrown their support behind bans – having all announced they would begin phasing out engineered stone product sales.

The CFMEU applauded the move for a nationwide ban, noting that other major construction and property companies had also supported phasing out the products, including John Holland, Lendlease, Mirvac and Cubs Property.

CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith said that Australia “would be a safer place when the ban is implemented”.

“This is an incredibly special day for Australian workers, especially every CFMEU member who fought for this life-saving change,” he said.

The Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) also welcomed the ban’s announcement from Australia’s Work Health and Safety ministers.

PHAA CEO, Adj Professor Terry Slevin, said: “We congratulate the ministers for supporting the recommendation by Safe Work Australia and all the researchers, clinicians and unions who fought for this important world-leading reform.”

“Most importantly, we thank and recognise the workers themselves, who suffered silicosis and other respiratory conditions, for fighting for the rights of those who follow them, to avoid the same fate,” he continued.

“The extreme levels of silica in these products has led to an enormous increase in tradespeople working with these products having their lungs irreparably damaged. This was unequivocally caused by using these products, in their normal work. That cannot and should not continue, so this ban shows the system can work.”

The Mr Smith called the announcement “a massive victory for people like Kyle Goodwin, the former stonemason who bravely fronted our union’s campaign after contracting incurable silicosis from simply from doing his job”.

“Kyle selflessly dedicated a huge chunk of his remaining days to stopping other workers from being given the same unthinkable diagnosis.

“Like Bernie Banton and asbestos, Kyle Goodwin’s name deserves to be inextricably linked to the ban on engineered stone.

“The CFMEU is ready to help governments implement the 1 July ban on the import, manufacture and use of engineered stone,” he stated.