Beijing, We Have a Problem! 

by Laurie Kazan-Allen

 

 

China, the world’s biggest exporting country, ships a huge variety of products around the world on a daily basis. From the smallest gaskets to the biggest components for mega infrastructure projects, it seems that everything consumers buy these days is made in China.

In the last fortnight a huge furore has been building over news that asbestos contamination had been found in children’s play sand exported from China to Australia and New Zealand.1 It is likely these products were sent elsewhere and research in the UK found that at least one of them had been sold on Amazon UK prior to November 21, 2025.

Shortly after the news about the deadly sand broke in Australia, it was reported that asbestos had been found in lift brake pads used across the country by the energy company Goldwind Australia, a subsidiary of the Chinese firm Xinjiang Goldwind Science and Technology Co. Ltd. The brake pads were sourced from 3S Industry, a major Chinese-based supplier to Australia.2

The sand and wind turbine discoveries were part of a litany of unwelcome asbestos discoveries made in Australia:

  • in 2012, 23,000 cars sold by China’s Chery Automobile and Great Wall Motor Company – “two of China’s largest state-owned automobile manufacturers” – were recalled in Australia after asbestos contamination had been found in gaskets;
  • in 2016, asbestos was identified in Chinese made building material sold by Yuanda Australia which had been used in the construction of a new children’s hospital in Perth, a medical research center in Adelaide, at a Brisbane construction site and on at least three other major construction projects across the country;3
  • between 2020 and 2021, imported asbestos was “found in imported building materials, remote control cars, engine gaskets, billiard table irons and Sydney’s new ferries” imported from China.4

It’s not just Australia which has been flooded with toxic products from China. In 2016, locomotives bought by KiwiRail – a New Zealand state-owned rail operator – from China were found to be contaminated with asbestos:

“Chinese manufacturers were repeatedly told there should be no asbestos in trains they were manufacturing for KiwiRail, new information confirms…Despite that, 40 of the 48 locomotives made for KiwiRail were contaminated and have still not been completely cleaned up more than five years later…The trains were made for New Zealand by the China National Rail company, (CNR) which is a huge state-owned conglomerate in China.”5

In 2022, consumers in Russia – the world’s biggest asbestos producer and exporter – were warned about the hazard posed by buying cheap Chinese exports:

“Chinese-made radiators, which are flooding the market, are inexpensive, which explains their popularity. At first glance, they appear to be indistinguishable from European-made products in both appearance and performance. But is this really the case?... Approximately 70% of all radiators on the Russian market are made in China… An inspection conducted by AIRAL [an international consumers’ consortium] found, for example, that the gaskets of all tested radiator samples from China contained asbestos. In some cases, the concentration of this toxic material reached 42%! Asbestos is extremely hazardous to the respiratory system, can cause lung disease, and has therefore been strictly banned in Europe since the end of the last century.”6

The European Union, one of China’s most important trading partners, has reported multiple discoveries of asbestos in Chinese exports. In 2007, the Europe Commission was informed of:

“tens of millions of thermos flasks on sale in Europe, the air cavity of which contains asbestos pads which would come into contact with the liquids contained in the flask if the air cavity were to rupture. The flasks in question which are manufactured in China enter Europe accompanied by a certificate issued by the appropriate Chinese authorities which states (falsely) that the flasks are safe and that they meet EU standards.”7

In the August 20, 2007 response to the above notification, the European Commissioner for Consumer Protection Ms. Meglena Kuneva wrote:

“The Commission is aware of the issue of thermoses containing asbestos fibres, albeit not in direct contact with foodstuffs, which can be released if the bottle casing is broken… In 2006 and 2007 the Italian authorities have notified a number of restrictive measures (withdrawal from the market and ban on sales) they have taken regarding several types of thermos bottles, manufactured both in China and in the European Union…

On a more general note, the Commission and the Chinese Government have, at the highest level, set themselves the shared objective of removing dangerous goods from trade. In this context the Commission is cooperating with the Chinese Government on, among others, matters of harmonising safety standards, enhancing capacity building in China, exchange of information and best practices and early alert to the Chinese authorities.”8

It seems that Commissioner Kuneva’s optimism was unjustified, with multiple reports of asbestos-contaminated Chinese products sold in the EU during the intervening years, including thermos flasks, motorcycle brake pads, remote control car gaskets and children’s bicycle brake blocks.9

The ubiquity of Chinese parts for the shipbuilding and shipping sectors has created a nightmare scenario for these industries. Even though the new use of asbestos was banned by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as of January 1, 2011, inspections routinely find onboard asbestos.10 Commenting on the current situation in a November 22, 2025 email John Chillingworth, Senior Marine Principal at Marine Haz Mat Surveys, wrote:

“Even today, owning a ship doesn’t mean you’re safe from asbestos. Even well certified components from China can contain it, certificates are no safeguard. That’s why many major ship-owners insist on full asbestos surveys before delivery. Yet some are willing to accept an ‘asbestos-free’ status simply based on the Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM). And here lies the core issue: since 2018 for new ships the IHM regime has relied entirely on material declarations rather than physical inspections or sampling. In other words, unless you dig in and test, you’re left trusting paperwork of questionable value in real-world risk management. Existing ships with an asbestos free IHM can have asbestos parts introduced at any time, that’s why they should be resurveyed every 5 years but owners are not doing it as the flag state does not enforce it.”11

There is, it seems to me, a rather obvious solution to the asbestos impasse China finds itself in. Although China is one of the world’s leading asbestos producers and consumers, it has taken some steps to protect its population from toxic exposures.12 Between 2013 and 2023, China’s asbestos production decreased from 420,000 tonnes/t a year to 200,000 (-52%) and consumption fell by 50% (from 570,000t to 284,000t). There can be no doubt that these reductions were a direct consequence of government actions banning the use of some asbestos fibers and implementing restrictions on others:

  • 2003: China banned asbestos use in friction materials in the automotive industry;
  • 2007: China’s Ministry of Health mandated new restrictions and guidelines in: Criterion for the Control and Prevention of Occupational Hazards in Asbestos Processing;
  • 2008: China prohibited the use of asbestos in the building of infrastructure for the Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Asian Games;
  • 2011: China banned the use of all types of asbestos, including chrysotile, as of June 1 in siding and wall construction materials under national standard GB50574-2010. Industry experts predict that the new code for the use of wall materials in buildings would decrease demand for asbestos-cement flat sheet products;
  • 2012: China’s new “List of recommended substitutes for toxic and hazardous raw materials” was officially published on December 27 by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Asbestos was included in category 3, the most advanced class for which substitutes have been developed and are being used. In the document, asbestos was categorized as a toxic and hazardous substance which could be replaced by safer alternatives.

According to epidemiological data, China is experiencing a substantial rise in the incidence of lung cancer and mesothelioma, both of which are caused by asbestos exposures.13 Scientific experts have called on the Chinese government to prohibit the use of all asbestos-containing material in China. Should the Government choose to heed their advice it would not only save countless lives at home but would reassure potential importers that products made in China need not carry cancer warning labels.

November 25, 2025

_______

1 澳洲石棉玩具沙重大公共安全卫生事件浅析与对中国家长的警示 [Analysis of major public safety and health incidents related to asbestos toy sand in Australia and warnings to Chinese parents]. November 18, 2025.https://finance.sina.com.cn/roll/2025-11-18/doc-infxvtut4397489.shtml

2 Clark, T. Asbestos found in wind farm lift brake pads prompts safety response. November 20, 2025.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-21/asbestos-wind-turbine-renewable-energy-health-safety-goldwind/106032506

3 Shepherd, B. Asbestos-tainted construction firm Yuanda’s Australian projects ‘need investigation.’ July 14, 2016.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-14/asbestos-tainted-firm-yuanda-australian-projects-investigation/7630552

4 Donnellan, A. Calls for more testing after asbestos found in imported toys and building materials. November 9, 2021.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-09/asbestos-found-in-imported-toys-and-building-materials/100604278

5 Frykberg, E. Chinese train makers repeatedly told “no asbestos.” June 15, 2016.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/306419/chinese-train-makers-repeatedly-told-no-asbestos
More Chinese trains to be bought despite asbestos headache. July 8, 2016.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/308206/more-chinese-trains-to-be-bought-despite-asbestos-headache

6 Китайские радиаторы отопления: характеристики и производители [Chinese heating radiators: characteristics and manufacturers]. September 21, 2022.
https://www.kp.ru/guide/kitaiskie-radiatory.html

7 Written question by Mario Borghezio. Dangers of thermos flasks containing asbestos. July 17, 2007.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/P-6-2007-3841_EN.html

8 Answer by Ms Kuneva on behalf of the Commission. Parliamentary question - P-3841/2007(ASW). August 20, 2007.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/P-6-2007-3841-ASW_EN.html

9 Written Question for European Parliament. Chinese thermos flasks containing asbestos. May 21, 2025.
“Italy’s Ministry of Health has ordered the withdrawal of certain batches of thermos flasks manufactured in China, between whose walls asbestos pads have been inserted to insulate the beverage.”
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-8-2015-008216_EN.html
Written Answer from European Parliament. Chinese thermos flasks containing asbestos. May 21, 2025.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-8-2015-008216-ASW_EN.html
CIRS Testing. EU Asbestos Exceedance Product Risk Notification in 2025: Motorcycle Accessories Become Key Regulatory Targets. September 8, 2025.
https://www.cirs-ck.com/en/eu-asbestos-exceedance-product-risk-notification-in-2025-motorcycle-accessories-become-key-regulatory-targets

10 International Maritime Organization. Asbestos on board ships. Accessed November 21, 2025.
https://www.imo.org/en/ourwork/safety/pages/asbestos.aspx

11 Email from John Chillingworth received on November 22, 2025.
Also see: Chillingworth, J. Why Most Ships Still Contain Asbestos. August 22, 2016.
https://ibasecretariat.org/jc-why-most-ships-still-contain-asbestos.php

12 Kazan-Allen, L. China’s Rejection of Asbestos: Official. May 19, 2020.
https://ibasecretariat.org/lka-blog16.php#a166

13 Huang, Q., Cheng, Y. et all. Burden of malignant mesothelioma in China during 1990–2019 and the projections through 2029. September, 2024.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667005424000292
Diao, X., Guo, C. Cancer situation in China: an analysis based on the global epidemiological data released in 2024. December 10, 2024.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/cac2.12627
Huang, Q., Cheng, Y. et al. Global burden of lung cancer attributable to occupational asbestos exposure: 1990 to 2021. October 30, 2025.
https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-025-01217-z
IBAS news archive: China. Accessed November 24, 2025.
https://ibasecretariat.org/abs_archive_news.php?sel=c&c_val=China

 

 

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