Naturally Occurring Asbestos: Hidden Risks for Rural and Regional Australians

November 4, 2026
| No Comments

MEDIA RELEASE: 5 November 2026

Naturally Occurring Asbestos: Hidden Risks for Rural and Regional Australians

November is National Asbestos Awareness Month – Friday 27 Nov is Asbestos Awareness Day 2026

During National Asbestos Awareness Month (1-30 November), the Asbestos Education Committee is urging landowners and property managers in rural and regional areas where Naturally Occurring Asbestos (NOA) is known to download the free Naturally Occurring Asbestos – Asbestos Management Plan Guide to manage NOA safely.

NOA is a mineral that occurs ‘naturally’ in some rocks, sediments and soils in Australia including in areas of the NSW Central West. If covered and left undisturbed, NOA is not considered dangerous. However, if disturbed and microscopic fibres become airborne or settle on clothing or equipment and can be inhaled, NOA can cause incurable diseases including malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

There is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos fibres including those released when NOA is disturbed, although the more fibres that are inhaled, the greater the risk to health.

Chair of the Asbestos Education Committee, Clare Collins said, “In regions where NOA is known, property owners, managers and workers who may disturb the ground surface during their day-to-day work must take appropriate precautions to ensure NOA is identified and managed safely in accordance with regulations.

“The user-friendly Naturally Occurring Asbestos – Asbestos Management Plan Guide explains the reasons why people must manage NOA safely, when and where NOA may pose a potential health risk, who to contact for advice, and the steps required to manage NOA safely in accordance with Work, Health and Safety Regulations and the Codes of Practice for asbestos management,” she said.

“The NOA Guide is free and can be downloaded from asbestosawareness.com.au. The Guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to conduct risk assessments, when, why and who should conduct testing, the training requirements for workers, safe work procedures, control measures, and how to dispose of NOA according to government regulations,” Ms Collins said.

User-friendly templates are also provided including; property and site-specific risk assessments, incident procedures and reports, worker training records and Fact Sheets on how to use and dispose of Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE), Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as well as providing step-by-step decontamination procedures.

John Batty, a member of the Asbestos Education Committee and the Managing Director of EDP Consultants, a global provider of Health, Safety and Environmental Services said, “The risk of asbestos fibre release from the disturbance of NOA is significant. This can be as dangerous as the disturbance of asbestos-containing materials commonly found in homes, sheds and other structures.

“The inhalation of asbestos fibres can potentially lead to the development of asbestos related diseases such as malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer,” he said. 

“It’s vital that those living and working on properties where NOA has been identified respect the dangers of NOA, follow the regulations and ensure sufficient controls are established to limit the disturbance of soils containing NOA to mitigate the risk of asbestos fibre release,” Mr Batty said.

The Naturally Occurring Asbestos – Asbestos Management Plan Guidewas developed in consultation with key stakeholders including councils and government regulators to help landowners and those living in regions where NOA is identified to ensure they manage it safely in accordance with regulations. Download the free Naturally Occurring Asbestos – Asbestos Management Plan Guide and support resources because it’s not worth the risk!

-ENDS-

INTERVIEW REQUESTS

NOA RESOURCES

FULL ASBESTOS AWARENESS MEDIA CENTRE:

INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES

JOHN BATTY – Asbestos Education Committee for the National Asbestos Awareness Campaign

John Batty is one of the founding members and former President of the Asbestos & Hazardous-Materials Consultants Association (AHCA) and Managing Director of EDP Consultants, a global provider of Health, Safety and Environmental Services. John has more than 20 years’ experience in asbestos and hazardous materials management and is a consultant to a number of government departments and private organisations. John is a member of the Asbestos Education Committee for the National Asbestos Awareness Campaign.

BRET BAKER JP  – Asbestos Education Committee for the National Asbestos Awareness Campaign

Bret Baker is President of the Asbestos & Hazmat Removal Contractors Association of NSW (AHRCA). Bret is a Civil and Environmental Engineer and is the Managing Director of Beasy Pty Ltd with more than 25 years’ experience in asbestos removal and demolition. Bret is a long-time industry representative on a number of government asbestos and demolition advisory committees including SafeWork NSW Demolition & Asbestos Consultative Committee and the Asbestos Safety & Eradication Agency of Australia – Management and Removal Committee Member. Bret has presented at state and national asbestos forums on asbestos-related industry issues. Bret is a member of the Asbestos Education Committee for the National Asbestos Awareness Campaign.

PLEASE NOTE: Photographs of John Batty and Bret Baker are available in our media centre: https://asbestosawareness.box.com/v/AEC-Photographs

JOURNALIST NOTES

WHERE DOES NATURALLY OCCURRING ASBESTOS (NOA) OCCUR IN AUSTRALIA?

Naturally Occurring Asbestos has been identified in various Australian states and territories.

To find out if your region is affected contact your council or the government asbestos regulator in your state or territory.

See links: https://asbestosawareness.com.au/useful-links/

NSW COUNCILS WITH POTENTIAL FOR NOA – SAFEWORK NSW

Geological potential categories are from the NSW Government’s 2015 mapping. Current council names with former council names retained for reference.   SOURCE  Geological Survey of NSW (July 2015), Mapping of Naturally Occurring Asbestos in NSW, Appendix II, p. 34. Council names updated for subsequent amalgamations. https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/56778/WC01788-0715-297174.pdf

HIGH POTENTIALMEDIUM POTENTIALLOW POTENTIAL
1. Blayney Shire Council1. Bathurst Regional Council1. Bega Valley Shire Council
2. Broken Hill City Council2. Bellingen Shire Council2. Snowy Monaro Regional Council (formerly Bombala Council)
3. Bogan Shire Council3. Snowy Monaro Regional Council (formerly Cooma-Monaro Shire Council)3. Central Darling Shire Council
4. Cabonne Council4. Lachlan Shire Council4. Cobar Shire Council
5. Clarence Valley Council5. Lithgow City Council (formerly City of Lithgow Council)5. Cowra Shire Council
6. Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council (formerly Cootamundra Shire Council)6. Mid-Western Regional Council6. Eurobodalla Shire Council
7. MidCoast Council (formerly Gloucester Shire Council)7. Oberon Council7. Forbes Shire Council
8. MidCoast Council (formerly Greater Taree City Council)8. Snowy Monaro Regional Council (formerly Snowy River Shire Council)8. Armidale Regional Council (formerly Guyra Shire Council)
9. Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council (formerly Gundagai Shire Council)9. Weddin Shire Council9. Kempsey Shire Council
10. Gwydir Shire Council10. Nambucca Valley Council (formerly Nambucca Shire Council)
11. Hilltops Council (formerly Harden Shire Council)11. Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (formerly Palerang Council)
12. Junee Shire Council12. Parkes Shire Council
13. Narromine Shire Council13. Dubbo Regional Council (formerly Wellington Council)
14. Orange City Council14. Yass Valley Council
15. Port Macquarie-Hastings Council
16. Tamworth Regional Council
17. Snowy Valleys Council (formerly Tumbarumba Shire Council)
18. Snowy Valleys Council (formerly Tumut Shire Council)
19. Upper Hunter Shire Council
20. Walcha Council
21. Hilltops Council (formerly Young Shire Council)
22. Unincorporated Far West Region (not a council)

IMPORTANT CONTEXT  The classifications refer to portions of the former council areas and indicate geological potential, not confirmed asbestos across entire LGAs. Former councils are listed separately to retain the source mapping distinctions.

ABOUT NATURALLY OCCURRING ASBESTOS (NOA)

  • Asbestos is a group of minerals that readily separate into long flexible fibres.
  • NOA occurs naturally it can be found in some rocks, sediments and in soils in various states and territories. NOA is not easily identified.
  • NOA can be blue (crocidolite), brown (amosite), green (anthophyllite and tremolite, actinolite) or white (chrysotile and tremolite, actinolite).
  • The management of NOA is regulated so contact your council or state regulator to ensure you meet the health and safety requirements.
  • By identifying the potential for the occurrence of NOA people can determine the risks, control measures and the levels of controls required to manage it safely.
  • Asbestos Awareness recommends that ONLY occupational hygienists or licenced asbestos assessors collect samples for testing by a National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) laboratory to confirm the presence of asbestos in any workplace including in building materials or in its natural forms (NOA) in the environment.
  • If stable, covered and undisturbed, it is believed that NOA doesn’t pose a risk to health.
  • NOA can become a health risk if weather conditions or work that may be undertaken (such as digging, cultivation and excavation) disturbs NOA and releases fibres that can be inhaled.

ABOUT THE NATURALLY OCCURRING ASBESTOS – ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT PLAN GUIDE

The Naturally Occurring Asbestos – Asbestos Management Plan Guide and the 6 support resources were developed to provide landowners with a better understanding of NOA and the steps required to manage it safely in accordance with regulations.

The Guide Includes:

  • What landowners need to know about NOA
  • When NOA is a potential risk
  • How to know if an Asbestos Management Plan for NOA is required
  • The steps to take to develop an Asbestos Management Plan
  • How to conduct a Risk Assessment for NOA                  
  • Safe work procedures and control measures for NOA
  • Useful resources and contact details for advice and information

NOA Templates and Fact Sheets Include:

  1. The Naturally Occurring Asbestos – Asbestos Management Plan Guide
  2. Asbestos Management Plan – Property Risk Assessment – Template
  3. Asbestos Management Plan – Site Specific – Template
  4. Incident Procedures & Report – Template
  5. Workers Training Requirements & Records – Template
  6. NOA RPE & PPE – Factsheet
  7. NOA Asbestos Decontamination – Factsheet

THE NATIONAL ASBESTOS AWARENESS MONTH CAMPAIGN

Since 2011, Australia’s only multi award-winning Asbestos Awareness campaign has been dedicated to saving lives by alerting renovators, property investors, managers and tradies about the dangers of asbestos and providing effective, user-friendly tools and information on how to manage asbestos-containing materials safely at www.asbestosawareness.com.au

To help save lives, in 2026 the Asbestos Education Committee continues the National Asbestos Awareness Month campaign and its long-standing leadership role in providing world-first, user-friendly and freely accessible education resources at asbestosawareness.com.au for those who may risk disturbing asbestos including homeowners, renovators, landlords, tradies, commercial property and regional property owners where naturally occurring asbestos is known.

ASBESTOSAWARENESS.COM.AU

asbestosawareness.com.au is the world’s most comprehensive online information source on identifying and managing ACMs with resources for renovators, investors and tradies including Asbestos in Homes: A Guide to Identification, Testing and Removal video; Asbestos 101 for Residential Property Owners, Managers and Tradies; Asbestos in Your Home – The Ultimate Renovators Guide video, Asbestos Awareness Residential Property Checklist – A Homeowner’s Guide to Identifying Asbestos-Containing Materials; Factsheets for homeowners and tradies, Trade-specific guides; Asbestos Products Database; Asbestos in Commercial Properties and Naturally Occurring Asbestos guidelines.

asbestosawareness.com.au provides comprehensive asbestos information and user-friendly free resources:

Campaigns, Media Releases
| Tags: