Ikea accused of ‘hypocrisy’ amid plea to pull ‘killer’ benchtops over fears of links to disease killing workers

Ikea has been accused of “hypocrisy” amid a call for the furniture giant to pull a range of kitchen benchtops due to its links to a fatal disease.

A letter sent to Australian chief executive Mirja Viinanen detailed the national construction union’s fury at Ikea for failing to remove engineered stone benchtops from its shelves in the wake of a damming Safe Work Australia report.

The report, released by federal and state workplace ministers last week, recommended the outright ban on the product to protect another generation of workers from contracting silicosis.

Silicosis is an incurable disease and is caused by inhaling tiny particles of silica dust.

“There is no shortage of public information available about how engineered stone products lead directly to the untimely deaths of workers,” CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith said.

“It is hard to see Ikea Australia’s latest sustainability report as anything more than greenwashing hypocrisy when Ikea completely ignores the consequences of the killer stone that is creating a once-in-a-generation workplace human tragedy.”

Viinanen, who also serves as Ikea Australia’s chief sustainability officer, should use her “personal power to save lives now”, Smith said.

“The science is clear: there is no safe way to work with these products,” he said.

“It is completely foreseeable that, in the near future, engineered stone benchtops will be viewed like asbestos: a toxic material in homes that should be removed as soon as possible.”

Engineered stone benchtops, which have become a feature in many Australian kitchens and bathrooms, contain a high concentration of crystalline silica.

The silica dust from cutting, grinding, and polishing the engineered stone benchtops can lead to potentially fatal diseases as well as lung cancer.

The Safe Work Australia report found there was “no evidence” that lower levels of crystalline silica would make the product safe.

“The cost to industry, while real and relevant, cannot outweigh the significant costs to Australian workers, their families, and the broader community that result from exposure to respirable crystalline silica from engineered stone,” it said.

In a statement, Ikea Australia said it was “closely monitoring” regular changes from the government.

“Ikea Australia works closely with custom-made engineered stone suppliers to ensure they are following the highest safety standards for environmental and working conditions,” a spokesperson said.

“Ikea conducts regular third-party supplier audits to make sure these standards are strictly followed.

“We are closely monitoring any regulatory changes from the government on custom-made engineered stone products, based on the report and recommendation from Safe Work Australia, and will take any action required to ensure the safety of our suppliers.”

State and federal workplace ministers last week failed to reach a consensus and agreed to reconvene at the end of the year to decide the product’s fate.

If agreed to, Australia will become the first country in the world to ban engineered stone.

The CFMEU has vowed to ban its members from using or importing engineered stone products from July next year if federal and state governments do not act.