Silica Dust: The New Asbestos, and Why It’s Not Just a Stonemason Problem

Asbestos was the trade industry’s slow-motion health disaster for decades before anyone acted. Silica dust from engineered stone is the modern version — and unlike asbestos, Australia actually moved to ban it before the death toll climbed even higher. Here’s what changed, and why it still matters even if you never touch a stone bench.

The short version (TL;DR)

• Australia became the first country in the world to ban engineered stone, with the ban on manufacturing, supplying, processing or installing engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs taking effect from 1 July 2024, and an import ban from 1 January 2025.
• Cutting or drilling engineered stone releases silica dust, which causes silicosis — permanent, irreversible lung damage, and a recognised cause of lung cancer and autoimmune disease.
• Despite the ban, silicosis compensation costs are still rising — from $5.1 million in 2019 to $21.9 million in 2024, with $111.8 million paid out in total over that period, and continued growth projected out to 2031.
• The ban targets engineered stone specifically — silica dust exposure from other materials (concrete, brick, tile, natural stone) is still a real risk that isn’t covered by this particular ban.
• This affects far more than stonemasons — anyone cutting, grinding or drilling concrete, brick, tile or render is exposed to crystalline silica dust.

Why the ban happened

Engineered stone (common in kitchen benchtops) contains a much higher concentration of crystalline silica than most natural stone or building materials — sometimes over 90%, compared to lower percentages in granite or marble. Cutting, grinding, or polishing it releases extremely fine dust that lodges permanently in lung tissue, causing silicosis, an incurable, progressive lung disease. Rates of silicosis in stonemasons — often young workers, some diagnosed in their 20s and 30s — climbed sharply enough that Australia moved to an outright ban rather than relying solely on dust controls and PPE, becoming the first country globally to take this step.

Why compensation costs are still climbing despite the ban

The ban stops new exposure from engineered stone specifically, but it doesn’t undo damage already done. Workers exposed over the past 10-20 years are still being diagnosed, and silicosis often doesn’t show up until years after the exposure that caused it — which is exactly why researchers project compensation costs will keep rising for years even with the ban in place, reaching an estimated $29.9 million annually by 2031.

This isn’t just a “stonemason problem”

The ban is specifically about engineered stone, but crystalline silica exposure is much broader than that one material. Anyone regularly cutting, grinding, drilling or demolishing concrete, brick, tile, render, or natural stone is exposed to the same hazardous dust — bricklayers, tilers, concreters, and general construction workers doing regular cutting or demolition work all carry real exposure risk that existed before the engineered stone ban and continues after it.

What actually reduces your risk

• Wet cutting methods where possible — water suppresses dust far more effectively than dry cutting with just an extraction attachment.
• On-tool dust extraction connected properly and used consistently, not just when there’s an inspection.
• Properly fitted P2 respiratory protection (not just a basic dust mask) for any regular cutting, grinding or drilling work involving silica-containing materials.
• Health monitoring if you have regular, ongoing exposure to silica dust in your work — early detection matters given how slowly silicosis symptoms can develop.
• Knowing this risk doesn’t disappear just because engineered stone specifically is banned — the underlying hazard from concrete, brick, tile and other materials is still very real.

Frequently asked questions

Does the ban mean silica dust is no longer a risk in the trades?
No — it specifically targets engineered stone. Silica dust exposure from cutting concrete, brick, tile, and natural stone remains a real, ongoing risk that isn’t covered by this particular ban.

Why are compensation costs still rising if the ban already happened?
Silicosis often takes years to develop after exposure, so workers exposed before the ban are still being diagnosed now — costs are expected to keep climbing for years even though new exposure from engineered stone has stopped.

I’m not a stonemason — does this affect me?
If you regularly cut, grind, drill or demolish concrete, brick, tile or similar materials, you’re exposed to crystalline silica dust regardless of whether it’s engineered stone specifically — the same protective measures (wet cutting, extraction, respiratory protection) apply.

What’s the single most effective protection?
Wet cutting methods combined with properly fitted respiratory protection are generally considered the most effective combination — dry cutting with dust extraction alone is less effective at controlling the very fine particles involved.

This guide is general information only — not medical or safety advice. If you have concerns about silica exposure or symptoms, see a GP and consider requesting lung health monitoring. Figures cited are drawn from published Safe Work Australia and Monash University research.

Sources:
Safe Work Australia — Engineered stone ban
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations — Understanding the engineered stone ban
Monash University — Silicosis compensation costs set to continue rising