Asbestos means any of the following fibrous forms of mineral silicates from the serpentine group - chrysotile (white asbestos) and amphibole group -actinolite asbestos; amosite (brown and grey asbestos), anthophyllite asbestos, crocidolite (blue asbestos), tremolite asbestos.
The importation to Australia of, asbestos, or goods containing asbestos, is prohibited unless:
An exception applies:
the asbestos or goods containing asbestos are hazardous waste as defined in section 4 of the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989 (HW Act). Goods of this type must be imported in accordance with the provisions of the HW Act, or
the goods are raw materials containing naturally occurring traces of asbestos, or
if the importation is of a ship or resources installation of at least 150 gross tonnage, as shown by the International Tonnage Certificate (1969) for the ship or resources installation; and the amphibole asbestos in the ship or resources installation was fixed and installed before 1 January 2005; and the amphibole asbestos in the ship or resources installation will not be a risk to any person unless the amphibole asbestos is disturbed, or
the asbestos or goods are imported from the Australian Antarctic Territory (chrysotile only).
A permission to import has been granted:
Import permission has been granted by the Minister for Employment
An exemption has been granted:
an authority of a state or territory confirms that the proposed use meets the state or territory work health and safety law, (chrysotile only), or
an exemption has been granted by the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission, or the Seafarers Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Authority.