Silica Dust Policy

About this policy

Cancer Council Australia’s Silica Dust policy presents information about policy priorities, preventing exposure and cancer risk related to silica dust.

This chapter of the National Cancer Prevention Policy was developed by Cancer Council's expert Occupational and Environmental Cancer Committee and endorsed by its principal Public Health Committee. The section was reviewed by Dr Renee Carey (Curtin University) and Emeritus Professor Malcolm Sim AM (Monash University).

This section was published January 2026.

Contact us at cancercontrolpolicy@cancer.org.au.

Contents

• Overview
• Policy priorities
• Policy context and impact
• Silica dust and cancer
• Occupational exposure to silica dust

Key policy priorities in summary

• Implement and enforce a health-based workplace exposure standard of 0.02 mg/m³ time weighted average for respirable crystalline silica across all industries and jurisdictions.
• Improve the enforcement of, and compliance with, crystalline silica substances regulations across each jurisdiction.
• Establish minimum national surveillance standards, including the use of low-dose, high-resolution CT scans as appropriate, for workers at risk of respirable crystalline silica exposure.
• Improve the quality of Australian data and expand the evidence base for respirable crystalline silica exposure, detection and management of exposure, and silica-related diseases.

Introduction

Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) (silica dust) is classified as a Group 1 definite human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).¹ Occupational exposure to RCS causes several diseases, including lung cancer and silicosis (an irreversible scarring and stiffening of the lungs).^{2, 3} Occupational RCS exposure occurs most commonly from inhaling dust during processes such as cutting, sanding, drilling, grinding, sawing, jackhammering, and hauling materials containing silica.⁴

Safe and healthy working conditions are a human right,⁵ and it is vital that Australians are appropriately protected from occupational exposure to RCS. In recent years, Australia experienced a significant upsurge of silicosis cases, with the vast majority of these linked to workers in the artificial stone industry.⁶ This rise ultimately led to the nationwide ban of artificial stone in 2024.⁷ However, as many other commonly used materials contain silica, stringent regulation and policy enforcement remain vital. It is estimated that over 500,000 Australians are currently exposed to RCS at work, which will result in around 10,000 future lung cancer cases.⁸ About 270 people in Australia are estimated to develop lung cancer each year due to past occupational exposure to RCS.⁹ Implementing and enforcing rigorous health-based workplace standards that prevent or minimise RCS exposure, combined with rigorous health screening for exposed workers, and improved worker and organisational understanding of the associated health risks, is crucial to reducing the impact of silica-related diseases in Australia.