Can You Still Get Engineered Stone Benchtops in Australia?
Reviewed by Team Asetica · Sydney · Perth · Melbourne · Updated October 2026
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Not the traditional kind. Since 1 July 2024, every Australian state and territory has banned the manufacture, supply, processing and installation of engineered stone benchtops containing 1% or more crystalline silica (Safe Work Australia). Imports stopped on 1 January 2025. Installed benchtops can stay. Resin-free sintered stone, porcelain and natural stone are legal replacements.
- You can no longer buy or install a traditional engineered stone (quartz, composite or reconstituted stone) benchtop with 1% or more crystalline silica. The ban started 1 July 2024 and imports were blocked from 1 January 2025.
- An engineered stone benchtop that is already installed is safe to keep. Safe Work Australia says available evidence suggests it poses no safety risk unless it is cut or polished.
- Removing, repairing, modifying or disposing of an old benchtop is still allowed. Use a qualified tradesperson: the business doing the work must control the dust and, outside Victoria, notify the WHS regulator first.
- Sintered stone and porcelain are excluded from the ban as long as they contain no resin. That makes them the closest like-for-like replacement for the engineered stone look.
Is engineered stone banned in Australia?
Yes. Since 1 July 2024 it has been an offence in every Australian state and territory to manufacture, supply, process or install engineered stone benchtops, panels or slabs. WHS ministers agreed to the ban unanimously on 13 December 2023, and it was written into each jurisdiction's work health and safety laws. From 1 January 2025, engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs also became prohibited imports under regulation 5M of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956.
The reason is silicosis. Cutting and polishing engineered stone releases respirable crystalline silica dust, and the product carries far more of it than most natural stone. SafeWork NSW's engineered stone Code of Practice puts engineered stone at up to 97% crystalline silica, against 20 to 45% for granite and about 2% for marble (SafeWork NSW).
Pictured: an engineered stone benchtop of the kind that can no longer be supplied or installed new.
What counts as engineered stone under the ban?
Engineered stone is an artificial product that contains at least 1% crystalline silica by weight, is made by combining natural stone materials with other ingredients such as resins, water or pigments, and then hardens. A product must meet all three tests, and be a benchtop, panel or slab, to be banned. That covers most of the slabs people know as quartz, composite stone, manufactured stone, artificial stone and reconstituted stone.
Safe Work Australia lists what is not engineered stone. The list includes sintered stone and porcelain products (provided they do not contain resin), ceramic wall and floor tiles, concrete and cement products, bricks and pavers, roof tiles, grout and plasterboard. Artificial stone with less than 1% crystalline silica is also outside the ban, because it fails the first test. Natural stone is not engineered stone at all, so granite, marble and quartzite are also legal. We cover the sintered stone exclusion in detail in Is sintered stone affected by the engineered stone ban?
I already have engineered stone benchtops. Do I need to remove them?
No, you do not need to remove engineered stone benchtops that are already installed. Safe Work Australia states that available evidence suggests installed engineered stone does not pose a safety risk in your home or workplace, as long as it is not processed (for example, cut or polished). The risk comes back only when someone works on it and creates dust.
Do not cut, drill or sand an old benchtop yourself. If it needs work, call a qualified tradesperson.
Can I repair, remove or replace an existing engineered stone benchtop?
You can have an existing benchtop repaired, removed, given minor modifications or disposed of, but the replacement cannot be a new engineered stone slab. The law calls installed stone "legacy engineered stone" and allows those four kinds of work as limited exceptions. In every state and territory except Victoria, the business doing the work must notify the WHS regulator before starting. In all jurisdictions, including Victoria, any cutting or grinding must be done as controlled processing, which means dust controls and respiratory protection.
Putting the same benchtop back after lifting it off (for example, to replace cabinets underneath) is technically caught by the ban, because re-installation counts as installation. Safe Work Australia has called this an unintended consequence. As an interim fix, every jurisdiction has granted exemptions that allow re-installation in specific circumstances. The conditions differ between states, so check with your state WHS regulator before you book the job.
If the old benchtop is damaged beyond repair, or you are renovating anyway, the new top has to be one of the legal alternatives below.
Replacing an engineered stone benchtop? Order up to 3 free samples, sent the next business day, to compare sintered stone colours at home. Samples are available to NSW, VIC and WA addresses. Choose your samples
What are the alternatives to engineered stone benchtops?
There are four legal families of benchtop material that replace engineered stone in Australia: sintered stone, porcelain, natural stone and recycled glass mineral surfaces. Laminate, timber, stainless steel and solid surface acrylic are also legal but sit in a different price and performance bracket. Here is how the stone-type options compare.
| Material | What it is made of | Legal for a new benchtop? | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineered stone (quartz, composite, reconstituted) | Crushed stone bound with resin, up to 97% crystalline silica | No, if 1% or more crystalline silica. Banned since 1 July 2024 | Existing installs can stay; repairs and removal should go to a qualified trade |
| Sintered stone | Natural minerals pressed and fired, no resin | Yes, if it contains no resin | Non-porous, no sealing needed; contains crystalline silica, so fabricators still use dust controls |
| Porcelain slab | Clays and minerals fired at high temperature, no resin | Yes, if it contains no resin | Similar to sintered stone in use and care |
| Natural stone (granite, marble, quartzite) | Quarried stone, no binder | Yes. Not engineered stone | Usually porous, most need periodic sealing; granite is 20 to 45% crystalline silica |
| Mineral surface (low-silica artificial stone) | Mostly recycled glass bound with resin | Yes, if under 1% crystalline silica | Still resin-bound, so follow the maker's heat and outdoor guidance |
For a full material-by-material breakdown, including timber and solid surface, read our benchtop materials and silica guide. If you are weighing natural stone, our granite vs sintered stone comparison covers sealing and upkeep.
Which alternative is closest to an engineered stone benchtop?
Sintered stone is the closest replacement for most people who wanted engineered stone. It comes in the same large slab format, in the marble, concrete and solid looks that made engineered stone popular, and it is non-porous, so it does not need sealing. The difference is the binder. Sintered stone is made from natural minerals that are pressed and fired with no resin, and the ban excludes sintered stone that contains no resin. Ask your supplier for the safety data sheet to confirm.
If you had your heart set on a white marble-look engineered stone, Calacatta White is the closest match. For the grey concrete look, try Tambora. Our sintered stone vs quartz guide lines the two up point by point, and what is sintered stone? explains how it is made.
Sintered stone is not silica-free. It contains crystalline silica, so the fabricator who cuts your benchtop must still use dust controls. The silica hazard comes from cutting and polishing, which happens in the fabricator's workshop. Porcelain slabs are similar, and our porcelain vs sintered stone guide explains the small differences.
Pictured: a sintered stone kitchen benchtop and island from the Asetica sintered stone collection.
Has the engineered stone ban changed since 2024?
No. The engineered stone ban has not changed since it took effect on 1 July 2024. Safe Work Australia reviewed the ban in 2024 to 2025 at the request of WHS ministers and published the review on 4 December 2025. It found the ban is operating as intended, while noting implementation is still in its early stages. Safe Work Australia has since published an implementation plan to act on the review.
If you are renovating, note that from 1 September 2024, stronger rules apply to work with any material containing at least 1% crystalline silica, across all industries. That includes cutting natural stone and sintered stone. The re-installation exemptions described above are also an interim measure while Safe Work Australia considers how to address the issue, so the detail may change. Check Safe Work Australia or your state regulator before work starts.
How do I choose a replacement and order samples?
Start by seeing the slabs in person, then order samples of your shortlist. Asetica supplies sintered stone slabs; your stonemason or fabricator cuts and installs them. You can visit our Sydney showroom in Padstow by booking, or walk in to our Perth showroom in Subiaco or Melbourne showroom in South Yarra.
Order up to 3 free samples, sent the next business day, to addresses in NSW, VIC and WA. Fabricators and specifiers can download spec sheets and safety data sheets from our downloads page.
Frequently asked questions
Can you still buy engineered stone benchtops in Australia?
Not the traditional kind. Since 1 July 2024 it has been illegal to manufacture, supply, process or install engineered stone benchtops, panels or slabs with 1% or more crystalline silica in any Australian state or territory, and imports have been prohibited since 1 January 2025. That covers most products sold as quartz, composite or reconstituted stone. Resin-free sintered stone, porcelain and natural stone remain legal.
Is my existing engineered stone benchtop safe to keep?
Yes. Safe Work Australia says available evidence suggests installed engineered stone poses no safety risk in your home, as long as it is not cut, ground or polished. The danger comes from dust created during work on the stone. Do not do that work yourself. Repairs, removal and disposal should go to a qualified tradesperson, and the business doing the work must control the dust.
Is quartz the same as engineered stone?
Mostly, in the benchtop sense. Traditional "quartz" benchtops are engineered stone: crushed quartz bound with resin, well above the 1% crystalline silica threshold. They fall under the 1 July 2024 ban along with products sold as composite, manufactured or reconstituted stone. Natural quartzite is different. It is a quarried natural stone, not an engineered product, so it remains legal.
Is sintered stone banned in Australia?
No. Safe Work Australia's definition excludes sintered stone and porcelain provided they contain no resin. Sintered stone is made from natural minerals pressed and fired without a resin binder. It does contain crystalline silica, so fabricators must use wet cutting, dust extraction and respiratory protection. The silica hazard comes from that cutting, not from day-to-day use.
Can I replace my engineered stone benchtop with a new engineered stone one?
No. A new engineered stone benchtop cannot be supplied or installed. You can have your existing benchtop repaired, modified or removed by a qualified tradesperson, and every jurisdiction has granted interim exemptions that allow re-installation in specific circumstances. Any new benchtop must be a legal material such as sintered stone, porcelain or natural stone.
More guides from Asetica:
- Is Sintered Stone Affected by the Engineered Stone Ban?
- Silica-Free Benchtops Australia: Complete Safety Guide
- Sintered Stone vs Quartz
Asetica Surfaces supplies sintered stone slabs for homeowners, architects, builders, stonemasons, cabinet makers and designers across Sydney, Perth and Melbourne. Asetica does not cut or install; your chosen stonemason or fabricator does. This guide was checked against Safe Work Australia's engineered stone ban guidance and its December 2025 review of the ban. See the range at our Perth (Subiaco) and Melbourne (South Yarra) showrooms, or book a visit to Sydney (Padstow). Call 1300 161 388.
Replacing engineered stone? See sintered stone in person.
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