AU - New Asbestos-Related Community Protection Question for At-Risk Sand Products Effective December 04 2025

We wish to advise you of an important regulatory update issued by the Australian Border Force (ABF) under ACN 2025/33 – New Community Protection Question: At-Risk Sand Products.

This follows recent nationwide product recalls in Australia, after certain coloured sand and craft/play sand products were found to contain very low levels of asbestos. As a precaution, ABF has expanded border controls to prevent further risk.

What is changing?

Effective 04 December 2025, a new Community Protection Question (CPQ) regarding asbestos has been introduced in the Integrated Cargo System (ICS) for imports under the following tariff codes from specified risk countries:

• 2505.10.00 – Natural sands

• 2505.90.00 – Other sands

• 3407.00.00 – Modelling pastes; dental wax; craft moulding products

• 9503.00.99 – Toys, other

• 9503.00.30 – Children’s craft/activity sets

Customs brokers must confirm whether goods declared under these tariff codes are asbestos-free when lodging declarations.

Compliance Requirements

If your goods fall under these tariff codes:

• They will be flagged for asbestos risk.

• Importers must follow ABF’s procedures to verify goods are asbestos-free, which may include documentation review or laboratory testing depending on origin and product type.

• Failure to comply may result in border holds, testing, delays, or potential seizure of non-compliant goods.

To view the ACN 2025/33 in its entirety, please click here.

What this means for you

• Expect additional documentation requests from brokers or our team for at-risk products.

• Shipments may experience delays if asbestos certification cannot be provided promptly.

• We strongly recommend confirming compliance with your suppliers before shipping.

If you have any questions or require assistance understanding whether your goods may be affected, please contact your KLN customer service representative.