Ruqayyah Snyder
Australia has the second-highest mesothelioma death rate in the world, which is a result of the country's high asbestos use per capita from the 1940s to the 1980s. Asbestos was commonly found in Australian homes and used in over 3,000 different products, with approximately one-third of all homes in Australia containing asbestos products. The three most common types of asbestos found in Australia were chrysotile (white asbestos), amosite (brown asbestos), and crocidolite (blue asbestos). Asbestos was mined in large deposits in Western Australia and New South Wales, with smaller operations in Tasmania and South Australia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Asbestos types mined in Australia | White, blue, and brown asbestos |
| Australian states with large deposits of asbestos | Western Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania, and South Australia |
| States where asbestos was primarily mined | Queensland, New South Wales, and Western Australia |
| Asbestos ban in Australia | December 2003 |
| Asbestos use in homes | Until 1990 |
| Asbestos-related disease with a long latency period | Symptoms may not appear until 20 to 30 years after exposure |
| Australia's mesothelioma death rate | Second-highest in the world |
| Asbestos use in products | Asbestos has been used in over 3,000 different products |
| Asbestos in Australian homes | Approximately one-third of homes contain asbestos products, especially those built before 1990 |
| Asbestos exposure standard | Does not guarantee absolute protection from asbestos-related illnesses |
| Asbestos management in the workplace | Safe Work Australia oversees the handling of asbestos, with regulations for management, training, and licensing |
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What You'll Learn
Asbestos in Australian homes
Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring minerals found in rock formations. Australia had the highest per capita rate of asbestos use in the world from the 1950s to the 1970s, and the country's consumption of asbestos between the 1940s and 1980s was among the highest in the world per capita. As a result, approximately one-third of all homes in Australia contain asbestos products, particularly those built before 1990, when asbestos stopped being used in home construction. If your house was built before 1990, it is likely to contain some asbestos-containing materials, especially in the kitchen and bathroom areas.
Three types of asbestos were mined in Australia: white, blue, and brown asbestos. Large deposits were mined in Western Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales, with smaller operations in Tasmania and South Australia. The asbestos produced from Australian mines only represented about 5% of the asbestos used in Australia, with 90% of the asbestos being imported. White asbestos, or chrysotile, was the most common type of asbestos used in Australia, accounting for more than 95% of all asbestos used worldwide. It was often mixed with cement or resin to create asbestos cement materials, which were used in a wide variety of building products.
Blue asbestos, or crocidolite, was the third most used asbestos type in Australia, but it is responsible for more asbestos exposure-related deaths than any other type. It was commonly used in pipe insulation, thermal insulation, and rope lagging, particularly in industrial facilities. Brown asbestos, or amosite, was also commonly used in Australia. All types of asbestos fibres are known to cause health concerns, and there is no safe level of exposure to any asbestos materials.
If you believe your home may contain asbestos, it is important to have it safely removed by a licensed professional. Asbestos removal licences are required to safely remove asbestos, and these licences vary across Australian states and territories. Safe Work Australia provides information on the safe handling and removal of asbestos, as well as the training of asbestos workers and the licensing requirements of abatement professionals.
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Asbestos in the workplace
Australia has the second-highest mesothelioma death rate globally, which is linked to its high per capita rate of asbestos use from the 1950s to the 1970s. Asbestos mining occurred in Western Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania, and South Australia, and the material was widely used in construction. As a result, many older buildings and machinery parts in Australia still contain asbestos, even though its use and import were banned in the mid-1980s, with a total ban on all forms of asbestos coming into force in December 2003.
Given this history, it is not surprising that asbestos is a significant concern in Australian workplaces, particularly in the construction and trades industries. Workers in these sectors regularly encounter asbestos, and occupations known to be at high risk of asbestos exposure include asbestos mining, carpentry, and jobs that produce a lot of dust, such as sawing, sanding, drilling, grinding, or handling asbestos-contaminated materials.
Safe Work Australia is the governing body that oversees the proper handling of asbestos in Australian workplaces. The Work Health and Safety Regulations Act sets laws for managing asbestos, including its handling and removal, as well as the training and licensing requirements for asbestos workers and abatement professionals. WHS laws require that asbestos be removed from workplaces by licensed removalists. Additionally, workplaces in buildings constructed before a certain date are mandated to have an asbestos register, which must be consulted before any building work or alterations are carried out.
If a worker suspects that asbestos is present in their workplace and is causing harm, they should notify their employer or health and safety representative. If this does not address the issue, they should contact the work health and safety regulator in their state or territory.
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Asbestos in building products
Asbestos was widely used in the Australian building industry between the 1940s and 1980s due to its effectiveness as an insulator and heat resister. Up to 90% of the asbestos produced in or imported into Australia was used to manufacture building products, particularly asbestos cement materials.
Asbestos cement materials were first manufactured in Australia in the 1920s and were commonly used in residential and commercial building materials from the mid-1940s until the late 1980s. During the 1980s, asbestos cement materials were phased out in favour of asbestos-free products.
Asbestos-containing building products include asbestos cement sheet (often referred to as 'fibro'), compressed asbestos cement board, acoustic ceilings and tiles, various types of plaster, wallboard, sprayed asbestos insulation, pipe and boiler insulation, and coloured waterproof wall cladding. Asbestos was also used in products such as vinyl floor tiles, electrical switchboards, asphalt roofing shingles, flue pipes, drains, gutters, roofs, roof insulation, and telecommunication and water meter pits.
Asbestos use has been prohibited in Australia since 2003, but it can still be found in older buildings and products. It is important to identify and properly manage asbestos in the workplace to prevent exposure, as there is no known safe level of exposure. Warning signs and labels should be placed in areas containing asbestos, and an asbestos management plan should be in place.
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Asbestos mining in Australia
Australia had the highest per capita rate of asbestos use in the world from the 1950s to the 1970s. The country has the second-highest mesothelioma death rate globally, which corresponds with its asbestos use. Asbestos mining in Australia ended by 1983, but it is still mined in large quantities in many other countries.
Three types of asbestos were mined in Australia: white, blue, and brown asbestos. Large deposits were mined in Western Australia, particularly in Wittenoom, and in New South Wales, with smaller operations in Tasmania and South Australia. The Wittenoom mine was one of the largest asbestos mining and milling operations in the world, supplying asbestos to various industries, including construction, shipbuilding, and manufacturing. The town of Wittenoom grew around the mine, accommodating its workers and their families, and became the Pilbara's largest town during the 1950s.
By the late 1960s, evidence emerged of the severe health risks associated with asbestos exposure, leading to increased scrutiny of working conditions at Wittenoom. Despite efforts to improve safety measures, concerns persisted, and the Wittenoom mine closed in 1966. Today, Wittenoom is a ghost town, contaminated by asbestos, with widespread asbestos-related illnesses among former workers and residents. More than 2,000 of the approximately 20,000 former mine workers and residents of Wittenoom have died of asbestos-related diseases.
Australia banned the use and import of blue and brown asbestos and asbestos-containing products in the mid-1980s. The manufacture and import of white asbestos products were banned in December 2003, and a total ban on all forms of asbestos came into force at the end of that year. Safe Work Australia is the governing body that now oversees the proper handling of asbestos in the workplace, and the country has Work Health and Safety Regulations in place to manage asbestos and protect workers.
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Asbestos-related diseases
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring minerals found in rock formations. Due to its strong and heat-resistant properties, asbestos was historically used in building materials, textiles, and insulation. However, concerns about its toxicity arose in Australia in the 1970s, and its use was phased out in the 1980s, with a total ban on all forms of asbestos coming into force in 2003. Despite these efforts, asbestos-related diseases continue to pose a significant health risk in Australia.
Asbestosis is a lung disease caused by asbestos exposure that increases the risk of other lung problems and certain types of heart failure. Pleural disease, meanwhile, is an inflammation of the lining of the lungs, causing stiffening and difficulty breathing. Lung cancer can develop in people who have breathed in asbestos fibres, especially if they are or were smokers.
Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that starts in the membranes lining the chest or abdomen. It is often fatal within a year of diagnosis, as it spreads rapidly. Australia has the second-highest mesothelioma death rate in the world, and the high incidence of the disease corresponds with the country's historical use of asbestos. A study of 600 mesothelioma patients in the UK and Australia found that 1 in 10 retired carpenters born before 1950 would die of asbestos-related cancer.
To mitigate the risk of asbestos-related diseases, Safe Work Australia has established an exposure standard for airborne asbestos and guidelines for managing and controlling asbestos in the workplace. Additionally, the Australian Government maintains a National Asbestos Exposure Register to record potential exposure and facilitate disease prevention and treatment.
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Frequently asked questions
Asbestos was mined in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania, and South Australia.
Asbestos mining ended in Australia by 1983.
Australia banned the use and import of blue asbestos, brown asbestos, and asbestos-containing products in the mid-1980s. The manufacture and import of white asbestos products were banned in December 2003.
The three types of asbestos mined in Australia were white, blue, and brown asbestos.
Asbestos has been found in Australian homes built before the mid-1980s to 1990. Approximately one-third of all homes in Australia contain asbestos products, particularly in the kitchen and bathroom areas.
