is engineered stone banned in australia now

Engineered stone contains a high proportion of crystalline silica. Cutting and polishing it produces respirable silica dust, and Australia saw a cluster of silicosis cases among stonemasons serious enough that the material was prohibited rather than merely regulated. It is the first workplace prohibition of its kind internationally.

What the prohibition covers

• Manufacture, supply, processing and installation of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs.
• It does not require removal of benchtops already installed in homes.
• Working on existing installed engineered stone, for removal, repair or modification, is subject to strict controls rather than being freely permitted.

If you have one already

An installed, intact benchtop is not a hazard to a household. The exposure risk is in fabrication and in any work that cuts or grinds it. If you are renovating and an existing engineered stone benchtop has to be removed or cut, that work has specific requirements and is not something to attempt with an angle grinder in a kitchen.

Alternatives

• Natural stone, which still contains silica in varying amounts and still requires controls when cut, but is not covered by the prohibition.
• Porcelain and sintered surfaces, whose silica content varies by product.
• Solid surface acrylic materials, timber, stainless steel and laminate, none of which carry the same hazard.