International collaboration and leadership
Australia became one of the earliest countries in the world to enact a complete ban on the use, import and export of asbestos.
One of the aims of the Asbestos National Strategic Plan 2024-2030 is to secure a worldwide ban on the production and trade of asbestos. This work includes:
- capacity building activities in South-East Asia to detect asbestos-related diseases and prevent asbestos exposure,
- promoting the Australian Government’s position on asbestos bans and using our experience in a positive way to reduce asbestos-related disease, particularly in our region, and
- preventing and responding effectively to illegal importation of products containing asbestos.
Who we collaborate with
The agency collaborates with a range of local and international organisations to progress the strategic actions of the Asbestos National Strategic Plan, including:
- Working with Union Aid Abroad–APHEDA to advance and support national bans on the production, use and importation of asbestos in Vietnam, Lao PDR, Cambodia and Indonesia.
- Supporting the Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute in delivering educational workshops and materials to improve diagnosis and treatment of asbestos-related diseases in South East Asia and the Pacific region.
- Supporting international ban asbestos network groups like IBAS, A-Ban, SEA-Ban in countering the efforts of the pro-asbestos lobby.
- Promoting reforms to multi-lateral trade, health, economic and environmental agreements (such as the Rotterdam Convention, Global Framework on Chemicals and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework).
- Collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to introduce national bans on asbestos in line with a resolution adopted in 2017 by all Pacific Island Country members.
- Assisting the national ban asbestos group in Colombia, Fundclas, in developing publications to help raise awareness about the risks posed by exposure to asbestos. This follows the June 2019 decision by the Colombian Parliament to introduce a national ban on the production and use of ACMs.
Countries with asbestos bans
The International Ban Asbestos Secretariat has the most comprehensive list of countries that have introduced bans or restrictions on the trade, production and use of asbestos.
