When most Australians think about asbestos exposure, they picture old homes, aging infrastructure, or historical industrial sites. Few consider that asbestos contamination can reach Australian shores today, hidden within seemingly innocuous imported products. Yet the reality is stark: despite Australia’s complete ban on asbestos since 2003, contaminated products continue to slip through border controls, creating unexpected risks of asbestos exposure in workplaces, homes, schools, and childcare centres nationwide.
The recent discovery of asbestos in wind turbine lift brake pads supplied to three major Australian renewable energy companies demonstrates how pervasive and unexpected this threat has become. Understanding the risk of asbestos contamination from imported products is no longer just a border control issue; it’s a critical workplace safety and public health concern that demands immediate attention from business owners, facility managers, and anyone responsible for purchasing overseas goods.
The Wind Farm Wake-Up Call
In November 2024, Beijing Jingeng Energy International (Australia) became the third renewable energy company to confirm asbestos contamination in wind turbine lift-brake pads, joining Goldwind Australia and Vestas in confronting this alarming discovery. All three companies received the contaminated components from the same Chinese supplier, 3S Industry, which reportedly provides lift brake pads to the majority of wind turbine operators across Australia.
The contamination wasn’t limited to wind farms. Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen informed federal parliament that 3S Industry supplied parts to more than just wind turbine operators, suggesting the scope of potential asbestos exposure extends across multiple industries and workplaces.
For Beijing Jingeng Energy International, the discovery prompted immediate action across its facilities, including the Gullen Range Wind Farm in New South Wales, the Biala Wind Farm in New South Wales, and the Moorabool Wind Farm in Victoria. The company stated unequivocally that any work with potential to expose workers or community members to asbestos would not be considered, highlighting the severity with which contamination discoveries must be treated.
A Pattern of Persistent Border Breaches
The wind turbine brake pad contamination represents just the latest chapter in Australia’s ongoing struggle with asbestos importation. Trevor Torrens, chair of the Asbestos Disease Support Society, called it “astonishing” that Australia was dealing with an asbestos importation breach during National Asbestos Awareness Week, more than 20 years after the complete ban took effect.
Mr Torrens detailed a troubling pattern of asbestos contamination in imported products. Asbestos has been detected in children’s crayons, remote-control cars, aircraft components, manual pallet trucks, billiard-table irons, bee-hive smokers, acetylene cylinders, and aftermarket gaskets. The most alarming recent incident before the wind farm discovery involved asbestos-containing coloured sand, primarily used in schools and daycare centres, products that put children at direct risk of asbestos exposure.
These detections reveal a disturbing truth: asbestos contamination affects products across virtually every category imaginable, from industrial equipment to children’s toys. No sector can assume immunity from this risk.
Why China Remains a Primary Source of Asbestos Imports
China is among the world’s largest producers of asbestos, exporting the mineral to countries worldwide. The nation’s approach to asbestos regulation differs fundamentally from Australia’s zero-tolerance policy. While China restricted certain forms of asbestos in 2002, it continues to permit the manufacture of products containing chrysotile asbestos.
Reports indicate that some Chinese products can be labelled “asbestos-free” if they contain less than 5% asbestos. This standard is incompatible with Australian law, which prohibits any detectable level of asbestos. This regulatory disconnect creates a dangerous situation in which products certified as “asbestos-free” in their country of origin may still contain asbestos levels that exceed Australian standards.
Trade data reveals the scale of potential exposure. UN Comtrade Database lists China as the largest exporter of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials, with annual exports reaching almost 311,500 metric tons in 2023, valued at nearly $200 million. While not all of these exports reach Australia, the sheer volume indicates widespread use of asbestos in manufacturing processes across Chinese industries.
The Border Control Challenge
The Australian Border Force (ABF) faces a significant challenge in preventing the entry of asbestos into the country. The agency employs a risk-based approach to identify imported goods that may contain asbestos. However, officials acknowledge that mandatory testing of all imports would be prohibitively costly.
The practical reality creates significant gaps. Border Force can only test a small portion of materials shipped into Australia for asbestos. The ABF requires importers who declare a potential presence of asbestos to arrange testing and certification in Australia at their own expense, unless an exemption or permission applies. This places the primary burden of detection on importers themselves, many of whom lack the expertise or diligence to assess their supply chains adequately.
Some of Australia’s major trading partners appear on the ABF’s list of countries known to export goods that may contain asbestos contamination. Almost a decade ago, ABC reported that asbestos was entering the country via imports from these nations. Despite heightened awareness and strengthened protocols, the problem persists, as evidenced by the wind turbine brake pad incident.
The penalties for importation violations are substantial. Individuals face fines up to $330,000 or three times the value of the goods, plus potential imprisonment for up to five years. Body corporates may be fined up to $1,650,000 or 15 times the value of the goods. Yet these penalties can only be applied after contamination is detected and do nothing to prevent initial asbestos exposure or contamination of workplaces and communities.
Products at Highest Risk of Asbestos Contamination
Understanding which imported products present the greatest risk of asbestos contamination helps organisations focus their vigilance and response protocols. Based on detection patterns and border control data, high-risk categories include:
Brake Components and Friction Materials: As the wind turbine incident demonstrates, brake pads and related friction materials remain a persistent source of asbestos contamination. Asbestos is found in car brake pads, gaskets, engine or pipe insulation, and electrical componentry. These products naturally wear down through use, readily releasing asbestos fibres that workers and nearby individuals could inhale.
Gaskets and Seals: Industrial gaskets, particularly those designed for high-temperature applications, represent another high-risk category. Aftermarket gaskets supplied for machinery and equipment maintenance have been found to contain asbestos despite manufacturers’ assurances to the contrary.
Building and Construction Materials: Imported tiles, adhesives, mastics, fillers, putties, and sheet floor coverings have all been found to contain asbestos. Natural stone products, including slabs and tiles used for benchtops and wall installations, may harbour asbestos contamination from naturally occurring minerals in the source material.
Automotive and Mechanical Parts: Vintage vehicles and spare parts pose a particularly high risk of asbestos exposure. Many older vehicles were initially manufactured with asbestos-containing components, and replacement parts sourced from countries that still permit the use of asbestos may introduce new contamination.
Electrical Components and Insulation: Various electrical products and insulation materials have been found to contain asbestos, posing risks during installation, maintenance, and eventual disposal.
Consumer Products: Perhaps most alarmingly, asbestos has been found in products never intended for industrial use, including children’s crayons, toy cars, educational mineral kits, and craft materials such as coloured sands that contaminated schools and daycare centres.
Industrial Equipment: Manual pallet trucks, bee-hive smokers, acetylene cylinders, and even components for model aircraft have all been found to contain asbestos contamination, demonstrating that virtually any imported industrial product may pose a risk.
The Brake Pad Risk: Why This Asbestos Contamination Is Particularly Dangerous
Trevor Torrens emphasised that asbestos-containing brake pads are particularly concerning because they readily release asbestos fibres as they wear. Unlike asbestos, which remains bonded in stable materials, brake pads experience continuous friction during regular operation. This friction generates dust and particles that become airborne, posing immediate risks of asbestos exposure to maintenance workers and potentially to anyone in the surrounding area.
The wind turbine brake pads posed particular challenges because they were installed in internal service lifts within the turbines. Maintenance workers entering these confined spaces for routine servicing would have been exposed to direct asbestos without protective equipment and would have been unaware of the contamination. The enclosed nature of turbine interiors could have concentrated airborne fibres, intensifying the exposure risk.
Mr Torrens stated simply regarding asbestos exposure: “The simple answer is death.” He noted that mesothelioma cases have steadily increased over the past 40 years, with 688 deaths recorded in 2023 and 684 cases diagnosed in 2024. These figures represent only diagnosed mesothelioma; they don’t account for other asbestos-related diseases, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and pleural diseases. Each case represents a preventable tragedy resulting from asbestos exposure that could have been avoided through proper contamination prevention.
Supply Chain Asbestos Vulnerabilities and International Manufacturing
The wind turbine contamination highlighted serious vulnerabilities in international supply chains. Beijing Jingeng Energy International noted that it remained in constant communication with Goldwind to understand the steps taken in response to the asbestos scare and sought advice from independent third-party experts on maintenance procedures. This reactive approach, while responsible, reveals how unprepared even sophisticated organisations can be when asbestos contamination emerges unexpectedly.
Trevor Torrens stated that international supply chain processes require investigation. The discovery that a single Chinese supplier provided contaminated components to multiple major companies across Australia’s renewable energy sector demonstrates systemic rather than isolated failures. When a single supplier can contaminate multiple organisations simultaneously, the potential for asbestos exposure expands exponentially.
Organisations purchasing components from overseas manufacturers often rely on certifications and assurances that products meet Australian standards. However, as the ABF warns, goods certified as “asbestos free” by overseas testing laboratories or manufacturers may still contain low levels of asbestos, which are not permitted in Australia. This disconnect between international standards and Australian requirements creates a dangerous gap, whereby products certified as safe in their country of origin may still pose risks of illegal asbestos contamination in Australia.
The Zero Tolerance To Asbestos Standard: Why Australia Differs
Australia’s complete prohibition on asbestos, with zero tolerance for any detectable level, places it among the world’s strictest regulatory jurisdictions. Most countries that have addressed asbestos apply tolerance levels; maximum allowable limits below which products are considered acceptably “asbestos-free.” These standards typically range from 0.1% to 1% asbestos content by weight.
Australia rejects this approach entirely. Any detectable asbestos contamination renders a product illegal for importation, use, or sale. This zero-tolerance policy reflects Australia’s tragic history with asbestos exposure and the recognition that there is no safe level of asbestos exposure. As Trevor Torrens emphasised, the eradication of asbestos-containing products is the only way to prevent asbestos-related diseases, particularly mesothelioma, which has no cure and an average life expectancy from diagnosis of just 18 months.
This stringent standard creates particular challenges for importers. A product manufactured to meet a 1% tolerance level in its country of origin would be legally compliant there but completely prohibited in Australia. Testing certificates from overseas laboratories may use standards that do not align with Australian requirements, providing false assurance of safety despite the presence of asbestos contamination.
Legal and Compliance Implications for Australian Businesses Importing Asbestos
Organisations that import goods contaminated with asbestos face severe legal consequences, even when the contamination was unknown or unintentional. The Customs Act 1901 treats asbestos as a prohibited import. Goods found to contain asbestos at the border will be seized as prohibited imports and forfeited to the Crown for disposal. Beyond losing the goods and any investment in them, importers face substantial penalties.
Compliance obligations extend beyond the initial import. Once contaminated goods enter a workplace or facility, work health and safety regulations impose additional requirements. Organisations must correctly identify, assess, and manage any asbestos-containing materials. Failure to do so can result in regulatory penalties from state and territory work health and safety regulators, separate from border control violations.
The legal liability extends to anyone who may have been exposed to asbestos contamination. If workers, contractors, or community members are exposed to asbestos from contaminated imported products, organisations may face civil litigation in addition to regulatory penalties. Given the latency period of asbestos-related diseases, often 20 to 40 years or more, this liability can emerge decades after the initial contamination, creating long-term legal exposure.
For wind energy companies, the discovery of asbestos contamination prompted immediate operational impacts beyond legal compliance requirements. Beijing Jingeng Energy International stated that any work potentially exposing workers or community members to asbestos would not be considered. This protective stance, while commendable, illustrates that contamination can disrupt operations, delay maintenance, and affect business continuity, even when properly managed.
What To Do If You Suspect Asbestos Contamination
Organisations that suspect they may have inadvertently imported asbestos-containing products face a critical decision point. The response must be immediate, comprehensive, and professionally managed. Attempting to address suspected asbestos contamination without appropriate expertise can exacerbate exposure risks, violate regulatory requirements, and increase legal liability.
The first step involves recognising potential contamination scenarios. Organisations should be vigilant if they have imported products from high-risk categories, received components from countries known to continue using asbestos in manufacturing, purchased goods from suppliers that have subsequently been identified in contamination incidents, or observed unexpected dust, deterioration, or fibre release from imported products.
When contamination is suspected, immediate action protocols should include stopping all work involving the suspected materials, isolating the area to prevent potential fibre spread, notifying relevant supervisors and safety personnel, and engaging professional asbestos assessment services to conduct proper testing and risk evaluation.
Organisations must not attempt to test or remove suspected asbestos-containing materials themselves. Disturbing asbestos without proper controls and protective equipment can release fibres and create the very exposure risk that professional protocols are designed to prevent.
The Consequences of Inadequate Response When Asbestos Is Identified
The colored sand contamination incident revealed how quickly asbestos exposure can spread when contaminated products enter general use. These craft materials were distributed through major retailers, including Woolworths and Officeworks, reaching schools, daycare centres, and homes across multiple states. Children were exposed to contaminated sand during educational activities and free play, resulting in direct contact with asbestos.
Schools in Canberra and Brisbane closed for emergency testing and remediation. Parents faced the terrifying uncertainty of potential asbestos exposure for their children. Retailers scrambled to execute nationwide recalls. Testing expanded to multiple potential exposure sites within affected facilities. The contamination would have been highly likely if the colored sands had been used in sandpit areas, as was common practice.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission issued precautionary recalls, and work health and safety regulators coordinated with ABF and ACCC to trace imports and commence remediation across affected jurisdictions. The coordinated government response, while necessary and appropriate, represented a massive deployment of public resources to address contamination that should never have entered the country.
For individual organisations that import or purchase imported products, the lesson is clear: the consequences of asbestos contamination extend far beyond the immediate cost of contaminated goods. They encompass operational disruptions, regulatory investigations, potential litigation, reputational damage, and the moral burden of having exposed workers or community members to a deadly substance.
Emerging Asbestos Risks in New Industries
Wind turbine contamination demonstrates that asbestos exposure risks extend to industries working toward environmental sustainability and clean energy. Few would have anticipated that renewable energy infrastructure would face asbestos contamination issues. This unexpected emergence underscores how asbestos can appear in any location where international supply chains operate, regardless of industry sector or product category.
As Australia continues to transition to renewable energy and expand industrial capacity, the volume of imported specialised equipment and components increases. Many of these products come from countries that continue to use asbestos in manufacturing. Without vigilant monitoring and appropriate response when contamination is suspected, the risks grow alongside import volumes.
Organisations in emerging sectors cannot assume their industries are immune to asbestos contamination. The renewable energy companies affected by the brake pad contamination were sophisticated operators with established safety protocols. Yet the contamination still reached their facilities undetected until testing revealed the problem. If major energy companies with substantial resources can be exposed to unexpected asbestos, any organisation importing overseas goods remains vulnerable.
Workplace Safety Obligations For Asbestos
Once asbestos contamination is detected in a workplace, legal obligations immediately intensify under work health and safety legislation. Organisations must identify all potentially affected areas, assess the risk of fibre release, implement controls to prevent exposure, notify relevant authorities, and arrange for proper assessment and removal by licensed professionals.
The duty holder, typically the business owner or facility manager, bears responsibility for managing asbestos risks. This duty cannot be delegated, although specific tasks can be assigned to qualified professionals. Failure to meet these obligations can result in prosecution, with penalties including substantial fines and potential imprisonment for serious breaches.
For wind energy companies, the discovery of asbestos in brake pads prompted immediate work stoppages on any activities involving the affected lifts. Maintenance procedures required a complete revision with input from independent asbestos specialists. Testing was expanded to determine the scope of potential contamination. All these responses, while necessary, create operational and financial impacts that ripple through the organisation.
Organisations that discover asbestos contamination in imported products must balance two competing pressures: the legal obligation to protect workers and the community, and the operational need to continue business activities. Proper professional guidance helps navigate this balance, ensuring compliance while minimising operational disruption.
Due Diligence
While organisations cannot completely eliminate the risk of inadvertently importing contaminated products, informed procurement practices can reduce this risk. Organisations should maintain detailed records of all imported products, including supplier information, country of origin, product specifications, and any certifications provided. This documentation is essential if contamination is later discovered and authorities require supply-chain information.
For high-risk product categories, organisations should request comprehensive documentation from suppliers on the materials used in manufacturing and on any testing performed to verify the absence of asbestos. While overseas certifications may not align with Australian standards, the absence of any testing or quality control documentation should raise immediate concerns.
Organisations should also stay informed about contamination incidents and product recalls. When authorities identify contaminated products, organisations that have purchased from the same suppliers or product categories should conduct precautionary assessments even if their specific products haven’t been named in recalls.
Trevor Torrens called on the Australian Border Force to investigate how products containing asbestos continue to reach Australian shores. While border controls play a crucial role, the reality is that contaminated products do enter Australia despite regulations and border screening. Organisations must be prepared to identify and respond to potential contamination within their own facilities.
Global Asbestos Audits: Your Partner in Asbestos Assessment and Remediation
At Global Asbestos Audits, we understand that discovering suspected asbestos contamination in imported products creates immediate concerns about worker safety, regulatory compliance, and operational continuity. Our expertise lies in helping Australian organisations navigate these challenges through comprehensive assessment, testing, and remediation guidance.
Asbestos Contamination Assessment and Testing: When you suspect that imported products may contain asbestos, we provide professional inspections and NATA-accredited laboratory testing to definitively identify whether ACMs are present in your workplace. Our assessments determine the scope of potential contamination, identify all areas that may have been affected, and evaluate the risk of fibre release and exposure.
Compliance Navigation: Discovering asbestos contamination triggers complex regulatory obligations under multiple frameworks, including work health and safety legislation, environmental protection requirements, and potential customs violations. We help you understand these obligations and implement appropriate responses that satisfy regulatory requirements while protecting your organisation from additional liability.
Asbestos Risk Management Documentation: Proper documentation is essential upon discovery of asbestos contamination. Our comprehensive reporting provides the detailed records necessary to demonstrate due diligence to regulators, support insurance claims if needed, and protect against potential litigation from exposed parties. We document the findings, the locations of contamination, the risks present, and the actions taken in response.
Remediation Planning: Once contamination is confirmed, organisations need clear guidance on safe removal, proper disposal, and workplace restoration. We develop detailed remediation plans that comply with all regulatory requirements, engage appropriately licensed contractors, and ensure work is completed safely without additional exposure risks.
Ongoing Monitoring: After remediation, organisations need assurance that contamination has been fully addressed and that workplaces are safe for normal operations. Our post-remediation monitoring and clearance testing verify that asbestos has been properly removed and that fibre levels meet acceptable standards for reoccupation.
Preventative Auditing: For organisations concerned about potential contamination from imported products already in use, we conduct comprehensive workplace audits to identify any ACMs that may be present. These proactive assessments can detect contamination before it leads to exposure incidents, enabling controlled remediation rather than emergency response.
The Importance of Professional Response
The wind turbine brake pad incident demonstrates the importance of professional expertise when asbestos contamination is suspected or confirmed. Beijing Jingeng Energy International sought advice from independent third-party experts and maintained communication with other affected companies to understand appropriate response procedures. This professional approach, while adding immediate costs, protects workers, ensures regulatory compliance, and minimises long-term liability.
Organisations that attempt to handle suspected contamination without professional assistance risk compounding the problem. Improper testing can miss contamination or underestimate its scope. Inadequate containment during assessment can spread fibres to previously unaffected areas. Failure to properly notify authorities can result in regulatory penalties in addition to the contamination itself. Inadequate documentation leaves organisations vulnerable to future liability when exposed individuals develop asbestos-related diseases decades later.
The complexity of asbestos contamination response demands specialised knowledge of fibre behaviour and exposure pathways, regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions, appropriate sampling and testing methodologies, containment and control measures, the selection and oversight of licensed contractors, and documentation standards for legal protection.
Professional asbestos auditors apply this expertise, transforming a potential crisis into a managed remediation process with clear steps, defined responsibilities, and documented compliance at every stage.
The Path Forward
The wind turbine brake pad contamination, the coloured sand incident, and numerous other detection events demonstrate that asbestos contamination in imported products remains a persistent threat despite decades of awareness and regulation. Organisations cannot assume that overseas certifications, manufacturer assurances, or established supplier relationships provide absolute protection against asbestos exposure.
However, organisations also cannot prevent every possible contamination scenario. Despite best efforts, contaminated products continue entering Australia through legitimate supply chains. The critical factor isn’t whether contamination might occur, it’s how organisations respond when contamination is suspected or discovered.
Immediate engagement of professional asbestos assessment services transforms potential disasters into managed remediation processes. Proper testing identifies exactly what contamination exists. Risk assessment determines who may have been exposed and what additional controls are needed. Documentation demonstrates regulatory compliance and due diligence. Expert remediation planning ensures that contamination is properly addressed without creating further exposure risks.
Organisations that embrace professional partnership when contamination is suspected protect not only their legal and financial interests but also their workers, customers, and communities from one of the most devastating occupational and environmental health hazards ever identified.
Understanding the risk of asbestos contamination from imported products means recognising that the threat remains current, pervasive, and unpredictable. It affects products ranging from industrial brake pads to children’s craft supplies, from automotive components to renewable energy infrastructure. No sector enjoys immunity, and no amount of good intentions substitutes for a proper response when contamination is suspected.
The Australian legal framework reflects this reality through zero-tolerance standards, substantial penalties for violations, and comprehensive workplace safety obligations once contamination is detected. These requirements exist because asbestos exposure causes diseases for which there is no cure and often no meaningful treatment. Prevention through contamination elimination remains the only effective strategy.
For organisations operating in commercial settings where imported products are used, the imperative is clear: maintain awareness of contamination risks in your supply chain, stay informed about recall notices and contamination incidents, develop protocols for responding to suspected contamination, and engage professional asbestos assessment services immediately when contamination is suspected or discovered.
The wind energy companies’ response to the brake pad contamination provides a model for other organisations. They stopped work that could create exposure, sought expert guidance, coordinated with other affected parties, and prioritised worker and community safety over operational convenience. This approach, while disruptive in the short term, represents responsible management of an unexpected contamination scenario.
If you suspect that imported products in your facility may contain asbestos, Contact Global Asbestos Audits immediately. Our comprehensive inspections, NATA-accredited testing, and expert remediation guidance will help you navigate this challenge safely and compliantly. When asbestos contamination is suspected, professional assessment is not optional; it’s the only responsible path forward.
Global Asbestos Audits specialises in identifying and managing ACMs in commercial settings throughout Australia. When imported products create unexpected contamination concerns, our expert assessment, testing, and compliance guidance protect your organisation, your workers, and your community from asbestos exposure risks.