Asbestos finds build fear of imports

A wide range of imported goods and materials used in the building industry has been found to contain asbestos, a Federal Senate Inquiry has been told.

The Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency (ASEA) said asbestos had been discovered in fibre-reinforced building panels imported into NSW to construct a residential building.

It said subsequent inquiries had revealed a similar product purchased from the same supplier in China had also been imported into WA and used in residential construction.

ASEA said fortunately, this batch of fibre-reinforced building panels had been found to be asbestos-free.

The Senate Inquiry into non-conforming building products was told that cement compound board imported into the ACT from China had been found to contain chrysotile asbestos, and in NSW an owner-builder had purchased a shed from a supplier on the internet, which had also contained chrysotile asbestos in a sealing tape installed between roof sheets.

Reviewing these findings, the WA Building Commission said it was a timely reminder that builders must be vigilant about the products they used during construction.

“In the NSW case, the certification provided to importers that the goods were asbestos-free was unreliable and this is not the first occasion certifications have been found to be wrong for the purposes of Australian regulations,” the Commission said.

“Builders must satisfy themselves the products they use do not contain asbestos.”

It said where builders sourced products directly from overseas it could be prudent to carry out testing to ensure the products were suitable.

The Commission said where builders sourced overseas products from local distributors, it might also be prudent to ask the distributor what tests or other assurances were available that the products were suitable.