Plasterboard manufacturer USG Boral has issued a warning to customers that some of their fire-rated plasterboard products may be contaminated with asbestos.

The contamination affects fire-rated plasterboards containing vermiculite imported from China and was discovered in routine testing. The company has told builders to quarantine any USG Boral fire-rated plasterboard products pending further advice.

“Workers using USG Boral board need to demand the company inform them whether the products they are using are asbestos free,” CFMEU national construction secretary Dave Noonan says.

“The company says the issue only affects its fire-rated plasterboard and that the level is 0.1% of the 3% vermiculite put into the board. Yet we know there is no safe level of asbestos exposure so construction businesses must take immediate steps to quarantine potentially contaminated products and ensure workers and customers are safe.”

He adds that the union will engage with the company to eliminate the risk of exposure from factories, distribution centres and construction sites.

“This latest asbestos contamination issue confirms the CFMEU’s repeated warnings that imported building products, particularly those from China, may not be safe,” Dave adds.

“We have seen too many instances of building supplies that are manufactured or sourced in poorly regulated markets like China failing basic safety requirements or exposing workers or end customers to unnecessary risk.”

USG Boral is advising customers to quarantine the following fire-rated plasterboard products and refrain from installing, distributing or supplying them to customers:

• Firestop Plasterboard
• Fire Wetstop Plasterboard
• Multistop Plasterboard range (3/3HI, 4/4HI, 5/5HI)
• Shaftliner Mould Stop Plasterboard.