Asbestos is banned in Australia and New Zealand because its dust causes lung cancer, laryngeal cancer and asbestosis, and it stays in the lungs permanently once inhaled. In vehicles it was used in two main places: brake friction linings and heat-resistant exhaust gaskets. Both have since been replaced with safer materials that meet the same temperature and sealing requirements.
Progress in the motor industry is not only new designs and new technology. It is also new materials. Manufacturers keep searching for raw materials that are safer for human health, and the worldwide move away from carcinogenic asbestos is the clearest example of that shift.
Asbestos: natural, fireproof and lethal
Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral, found widely around the planet and once used across industry and construction. Its advantages, besides being cheap to mine, were high thermal resistance to the point of being completely non-combustible, high strength, and flexibility thanks to its fibre structure. The best known building use was corrugated roof sheeting. For decades asbestos was one of the most popular thermal insulation materials, until the health statistics began to accumulate.
The problem is the dust. Working with the material inevitably releases asbestos dust, which finds its way into the airways. The fibres are so resistant to chemical attack that once they are in the body they stay there permanently, because they cannot be dissolved by acids or cleared out by the body.
The World Health Organization classifies every commercially used form of asbestos as carcinogenic to humans, in the highest hazard category. Asbestos dust in the airways is a confirmed cause of lung cancer and cancer of the larynx, and once the fibres travel further it is linked to cancer of other organs. Among workers directly involved in mining it, chronic respiratory disease such as asbestosis, a fibrosis of the lungs, was common.
As the evidence built up, medical concern grew, and from the early 1990s country after country banned the material in construction and in the motor industry. Australia introduced a total ban on the manufacture, use and import of all forms of asbestos from 31 December 2003, and New Zealand banned the import of asbestos-containing products in 2016. Bringing in vehicle parts that contain asbestos is now a border offence in both countries.
Where was asbestos used in a car?
The best known automotive use of asbestos was in the braking system, specifically in the friction material of brake pads and shoes. Most owners know that manufacturers walked away from asbestos linings, because the switch to safer friction materials pushed the price of those parts up noticeably at the time.
Less well known is the use of asbestos in fireproof gaskets, in particular metal and asbestos exhaust gaskets. These join sections of the exhaust tract and form a gas-tight seal that survives exhaust temperatures without being attacked by water and road grime thrown up under the vehicle. For that job, asbestos was close to ideal: low cost, excellent insulating properties and a long service life.
Once asbestos was banned, component manufacturers had to find materials that met every requirement of a gasket: heat resistance, non-combustibility and resistance to water. For conical rings the answer was reinforced graphite. For flat gaskets it was a specialised asbestos-free paper.
Safety note: on a vehicle built before the mid 2000s, treat any old exhaust gasket or brake lining as potentially asbestos-bearing. Never grind, sand or dry-brush the material, work in ventilated space, and let the exhaust cool completely before you touch a joint. In Australia, licensed disposal rules apply to asbestos waste.
What replaced asbestos in exhaust gaskets?
Asbestos-free gasket paper is built on aramid fibre, the material better known as Kevlar, combined with non-combustible synthetic fillers. The aramid gives the material very high strength and heat resistance, while the filler brings the price down, because aramid on its own is far from cheap.
Design does some of that cost work too. FEBEST exhaust sealing rings and gaskets use a five-layer metal and asbestos-free fibre construction. The extra layers of thin stainless steel give the part strength and resistance to everything the road throws at it, while the fibre layers let the gasket crush down tightly, which is what guarantees a gas-tight joint. Gaskets of this type, made from modern and safe materials, are the backbone of our exhaust sealing range.
While the joint is apart, check the condition of the rubber exhaust hangers as well. A perished hanger lets the system sag and loads the new gasket unevenly, which is a common reason a fresh seal starts blowing again.
Which vehicles do the new FEBEST gaskets suit?
We have recently expanded the gasket range, since these parts sell consistently well on the strength of their price to quality ratio. They sit within the broader FEBEST rubber and sealing components catalogue.
Among the most interesting new arrivals are gaskets 23492-015 and 23492-12, which cover a very wide model range across the VAG group.
For Hyundai and Kia there are several asbestos-free gaskets: 12492-002, 12492-003, 12492-007 and 12492-008. These suit the most popular models, including the Accent, Rio, Creta, Seltos and Elantra.
Three more new part numbers, exhaust gaskets 21492-004, 21492-005 and 21492-006, are made for Ford, Land Rover, Mazda and Volvo. The compatibility list runs to more than 20 popular passenger vehicles, including the Ford Fiesta, Transit and Mondeo, the Mazda 3, BT-50 and CX-7, several generations of Land Rover Discovery, Freelander and Range Rover Sport, and a wide spread of Volvo models from the C30 and S40 through to the V70 and XC70.
The stainless steel layers give these new FEBEST gaskets excellent resistance to water and coastal salt, while the modern asbestos-free material creates a reliable seal with no risk to human health.
Frequently asked questions
Do modern brake pads still contain asbestos?
No. Brake pads and shoes sold new in Australia and New Zealand are asbestos-free, using semi-metallic, ceramic or organic friction materials instead. Asbestos linings were phased out from the 1990s and fully banned in Australia at the end of 2003. The only realistic exposure risk today is old friction material still fitted to a pre-ban vehicle.
Is asbestos-free gasket material as heat resistant as asbestos?
Yes, for exhaust service. Aramid fibre with non-combustible fillers, layered with thin stainless steel, handles exhaust gas temperatures and the pressure of a clamped flange joint. The multi-layer construction also crushes down evenly, which is what actually seals the joint, so a modern gasket seals as well as the asbestos type it replaced.
Can I reuse an exhaust gasket?
No. An exhaust gasket seals by deforming permanently as the flange is clamped, so once it has been crushed it will not seal properly a second time. Fit a new gasket every time you separate a flange joint, and replace corroded flange bolts and nuts at the same time rather than fighting them again later.
What happens if an exhaust gasket fails?
A blown exhaust gasket produces a ticking or hissing noise that rises with engine speed, and it can let exhaust gas into the cabin, which is a carbon monoxide risk. A leak upstream of the oxygen sensor also skews the sensor reading, which affects fuelling and can trigger a fault code and a failed emissions check.
Am I at risk from asbestos when working on an older car?
Only if you disturb the material and inhale the dust. Do not use compressed air, wire brushes or grinders on old brake or exhaust components on a pre-ban vehicle. If you suspect asbestos-bearing material, leave it to a licensed operator, since disposal in Australia is regulated and household bin disposal is not permitted.
Why did brake parts get more expensive when asbestos was banned?
Because the replacement friction materials cost more to produce. Semi-metallic and ceramic compounds use more expensive raw inputs and more processing than mined asbestos fibre. The same logic applies to gaskets, where aramid fibre is costly, and manufacturers offset it with fillers and with multi-layer designs rather than by returning to hazardous materials.
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