By: Cassandra Wills

On 13 December 2023, Australia became the first country to nationally ban engineered stone, following a unanimous decision by Commonwealth, state and territory workplace ministers.

The ban aims to protect the lives and safety of Australians working with the product, and is a critical development given the high numbers of stone benchtop industry workers who have been diagnosed with silica dust related conditions. The ban takes effect on 1 July 2024 in most states and territories, with transitional arrangements for existing contracts still to be finalised. The Australian Government has also announced it plans to ban imported engineered stone.

The ABC published a good summary of the news here. You can also read our previous article about silicosis risks here.