Massive Asbestos Problem Brewing

Started by robgarns, June 29, 2017, 08:13:50 PM

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robgarns

Be very very careful importing any car right now.

Cars coming into Aus are now being inspected for asbestos and it can be brutal. Brakes, clutches, exhaust insulation, firewalls, even fibreglass are been inspected, samples taken and tested. Cars have been partially dismantled, cars that fail cannot be imported and even worse cannot be re exported

My understanding is that while the rules have been on the books for some time, only now are they been aggressively implemented and it is causing chaos. I heard today of a Cobra with $35,000 of rectification work including repairing holes from samples of the fibreglass!!

Do not bring any car in unless you have certification of every possible part that could contain asbestos is the advice I have been given

evan

Sounds like our cars just went up in value  :evilone:  :grin:

Evan.

robgarns

Fair chance it will reduce supply and that may boost prices of cars already here... However it also has the potential to cause havoc in anything to do with classic cars and all those who earn their living from them - that is not good

BAC

What are the local shipping agents and customs brokers saying about all of this?
Cheers,
Brian

Pedro

It's all over other classic car forums. Someone even reported they pulled out the windscreen rubber because some are reported to contain asbestos.


robgarns

If you read the Regs, potential is there to dismantle a car, impound it and sell it!

The importers and agents I have spoken to are gobsmacked and quite fearful that their business could be destroyed - they need to react and get some common sense back into the debate

I have just taken delivery of a couple of cars ex UK - no tests, no requests, no problems, others have had no end of problems - whether it is random or they sampling cars, no idea

I had planned to take a car out of Aus for a rally and bring it back, now terrified....

BAC

Quote from: mustang_talk on June 30, 2017, 07:19:19 AM
Detailed info on asbestos restrictions...

http://www.border.gov.au/Busi/cargo-support-trade-and-goods/importing-goods/prohibited-and-restricted/asbestos

As I have mentioned previously, the spirit of the above regulations seems to be aimed at large scale importation of commercial quantities of goods for resale in Australia (e.g. the Great Wall debacle) and is being taken out of context if they are now using them to pursue individuals importing classic cars for private use.

There needs to be some common sense applied and a dialogue between relevant parties and the government as I'm sure this was not the pollies' intention when these laws were put into place.
Cheers,
Brian

robgarns

Common sense and Govt - great idea but good luck!

Clearly it is ridiculous but so is a Luxury Car Tax for an industry we no longer have!! The contrast with other countries could not be greater - the UK has a fantastic classic car industry while we do everything we can to make it difficult and expensive. Some idiot in the bureaucracy has decided he/she does not like classic cars and common sense goes out the window

BAC

#9
Quote from: robgarns on June 30, 2017, 06:20:40 PM
Clearly it is ridiculous but so is a Luxury Car Tax for an industry we no longer have!!

Understand the comparison but the diffference is the LCT brings in money for the government but all this asbestos situation does is create busy work for the ABF without any real net gain for anyone (except maybe the testing labs).

What nobody has been able to shed some light on thus far is:  the rules have been in place for some time but they are only now being rigorously enforced - who flipped the switch and why?
Cheers,
Brian


BAC

Quote from: mustang_talk on June 30, 2017, 07:08:04 PM
Perhaps this may shed some light ??

http://lawgovpol.com/case-study-james-hardie-and-asbestos/

If you're saying the health risks of asbestos justify the current crusade, then all I can say is the money and effort would be much better spent elsewhere...
Cheers,
Brian

mustang_talk

#12
It's difficult to say, my guess is that someone within a government department has conducted an audit of sorts and issued a massive fine in relation to asbestos coming into Australia. Historical cases referred too to justify fines. This has lead to those fined imposing stricter conditions to demonstrate tighter controls for fear of losing contracts etc..just a thought.. I could be wrong..

Okay, check this out
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/asbestos-contamination-2-importers-charged-in-8-years/news-story/e2c3ae3e82678fca1c594f2c711a8d12

And this
http://wa.strata.community/useruploads/files/160804_no_time_to_stop_imports_of_asbestos.pdf

But wait there's more
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-14/australian-building-sites-contaminated-with-chinese-asbestos/7166674

So it appears classic cars have been caught up in the stricter compliance checking and enforcement...

StephenSLR

#13
Classic car importers driven out of business by Australian border force inspectors

https://au.news.yahoo.com/video/watch/36033392/classic-car-importers-driven-out-of-business-by-australian-border/

Keep in mind it's a news story, designed to be sensationalist.

s
Listen to my band here:

http://www.reverbnation.com/LYCANTHIA

BAC

How that ABF spokeswoman can keep a straight face while telling the reporter that they are only inspecting classic cars "to keep the public safe" is just staggering.

It is obvious to blind Freddy that the intent of the law is to stop sub-standard Chinese goods containing asbestos from entering the country, not to focus on individuals pursuing a private hobby.

Who's the moron that decided that importing old cars is a significant risk to the community?   :ouch:
Cheers,
Brian

pgold

A combination of negative media reports and negotiation from our motoring bodies is probably the only way we can get some common sense to the problem.
Brakes and clutches which if containing asbestos are releasing harmfull dust as they wear out and we don't need that. All other parts which I can think of containing asbestos is contained in the material and its fibres would only be released during maintenance works.
The replacement of brake pads/shoes and clutch plates before import or before registration and a warning label to the potential of asbestos in gaskets, insulation and rubbers fixed to the car at time of import.
There are millions of buildings in Australia built from the 1940's to about 1995 containing some asbestos many of them are government owned. If you children wen't or are going to a government school built before 1995 there is probably asbestos somewhere. Are they replacing all of them _ not any time soon.
Don't get me wrong - I have relatives who have pasted from asbestos's and it is a horrible way to die and precautions need to be taken when working with asbestos products.       

StephenSLR

Quote from: pgold on July 01, 2017, 06:47:48 PM
There are millions of buildings in Australia built from the 1940's to about 1995 containing some asbestos many of them are government owned.

Unfortunately we can't have planes flown into all of them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QhF-sMdJVg

s
Listen to my band here:

http://www.reverbnation.com/LYCANTHIA

gbader

Well mine popped out of AU customs yesterday and is now safely tucked away - got stung with the $300 clean (which I assume is a contribution to the Xmas fund as the car does not look like it was cleaned)

Small (50c size) bit of paint missing off the boot but the battery sticker will cover that. My main gripe was that one of the Californian black plates went missing (posted one but I stupidly thought the rear that was riveted on would be fine), checked AU side unloading pics so we think it went during the 2 weeks it sat at US cutoms

Anyway, big relief after reading this thread

Cheers

StephenSLR

Quote from: gbader on July 08, 2017, 12:44:03 PMgot stung with the $300 clean (which I assume is a contribution to the Xmas fund as the car does not look like it was cleaned)

I got stung with that too, they probably saw a spider web and used a broom to clean it.

Quote from: gbader on July 08, 2017, 12:44:03 PMMy main gripe was that one of the Californian black plates went missing

Damn. Luckily mine made it through with Colorado collector plates.

s
Listen to my band here:

http://www.reverbnation.com/LYCANTHIA

BAC

Quote from: gbader on July 08, 2017, 12:44:03 PM
Well mine popped out of AU customs yesterday and is now safely tucked away - got stung with the $300 clean (which I assume is a contribution to the Xmas fund as the car does not look like it was cleaned)

Good to hear it.  The cleaning fee is totally arbitrary IMHO.  I've brought in 3 cars over the last few years, only one got stung with the cleaning fee and it was the dirtiest of the lot when I received it...


Quote from: gbader on July 08, 2017, 12:44:03 PM
Anyway, big relief after reading this thread

The advice I have from my import agent is this issue has been massively blown out of proportion by the internet community.  In their experience, it is only a random inspection done on a very small sample of imports coming in and even then they are tending to target high dollar value commercial shipments (e.g. a business bringing in several classic cars at a time for resale) rather than individual private imports.

This makes sense if you think about it - if they were inspecting the majority of containers they would have had to double or triple the Customs workforce and the docks would grind to a halt.

There is also a declaration you can sign to state that your goods are asbestos free.  My import agent has advised me they do not know of a single shipment that has been inspected where that declaration has been in place.

One more thing - for people who are worried about bringing in cars from the US, some shipping agents are looking at setting up a service where they remove the most likely asbestos containing components (brake pads, clutches, etc.) prior to loading for export.
Cheers,
Brian

nassi

Bosskraft are available to help..

Hi all,

As most would be aware, Bosskraft relocated to the USA last year and with the recent enforcement of long existing asbestos legislation, by ABF in Australia, Bosskraft have jumped through the hoops and become asbestos qualified in the USA, authorised by the US Federal Gov to identify, take samples for testing (if required) and remove it from vehicles. The hope is that we can intercept these issues BEFORE the cars (or anything, actually) leaves the USA, and we'll be able to issue a certificate, clearing the goods of asbestos, which should keep the ABF off the importers tails.

We've been working with our long time customs broker in Australia and he suggests that this asbestos issue, is not something that will go away. It's here to stay. He also suggests that there was currently nobody in the USA, authorised to perform this work, and it left importers open to likely seizures by ABF, of imported vehicles, with fines likely to be issued if caught out (and they're frighteningly high!). That being the case, we've figured that the best way to avoid impound costs, storage costs, ridiculous multiple mechanics 'on scene' costs in Aust, is to deal with the issues in the USA, with US Federal certification to satisfy the Aust Gov, issued when cleared of asbestos.

Anyway, if you need our assistance, touch base with us and since we're banned from the 'other forum' for speaking our minds against the poor management of the club, we'd appreciate someone sharing this info on their page, as it may be useful to people on the page attempting to import.
66 Mustang covertible
01 XR8 ute (black)
01 XR8 ute (red)
56 F100

69candy

Quote from: nassi on July 26, 2017, 06:07:44 PM
Bosskraft are available to help..

Hi all,

As most would be aware, Bosskraft relocated to the USA last year and with the recent enforcement of long existing asbestos legislation, by ABF in Australia, Bosskraft have jumped through the hoops and become asbestos qualified in the USA, authorised by the US Federal Gov to identify, take samples for testing (if required) and remove it from vehicles. The hope is that we can intercept these issues BEFORE the cars (or anything, actually) leaves the USA, and we'll be able to issue a certificate, clearing the goods of asbestos, which should keep the ABF off the importers tails.

We've been working with our long time customs broker in Australia and he suggests that this asbestos issue, is not something that will go away. It's here to stay. He also suggests that there was currently nobody in the USA, authorised to perform this work, and it left importers open to likely seizures by ABF, of imported vehicles, with fines likely to be issued if caught out (and they're frighteningly high!). That being the case, we've figured that the best way to avoid impound costs, storage costs, ridiculous multiple mechanics 'on scene' costs in Aust, is to deal with the issues in the USA, with US Federal certification to satisfy the Aust Gov, issued when cleared of asbestos.

Anyway, if you need our assistance, touch base with us and since we're banned from the 'other forum' for speaking our minds against the poor management of the club, we'd appreciate someone sharing this info on their page, as it may be useful to people on the page attempting to import.

Good to know!!

BAC

Cheers,
Brian

nassi

Quote from: BAC on July 26, 2017, 08:49:38 PM
Whereabouts are they in the US?

They have premises in Arizona and California but do travel as well to locate vehicles and parts for the business.
66 Mustang covertible
01 XR8 ute (black)
01 XR8 ute (red)
56 F100

BAC

Thanks, was just wondering how the inspection service will work in terms of logistics: would you have to get the car shipped from the seller to Bosskraft and then arrange to get it on-shipped to port after they've inspected it? 
Cheers,
Brian