Members of Australia's Customs and Border Protection department sounded the alarm when they found traces of the harmful fiber in a shipment of spare parts several months ago. The investigation that ensued revealed that certain Great Wall and Chery models sold in Australia come equipped from the factory with gaskets that contain the dangerous fiber.
The ACCC is actively monitoring the situation but it has not asked either company to immediately replace the parts that contain asbestos. Since the gaskets are tightly sealed in the cars' mechanical components they pose no threat to the car's occupants.
The only action that Great Wall and Chery need to take is to place a warning sticker in the engine bay of affected vehicles. The contaminated parts will be replaced with asbestos-free ones when they eventually wear out, a process which could take months or years depending on the part.
The ACCC's reaction has been heavily criticized in Australia.
"These vehicles when they are imported are supposed to meet Australian standards and I'm quite sure there isn't a standard that says you can have asbestos parts in your vehicle. It's either a lack of regulation or a lack of supervision," said James McCall, the chief executive of Australia's Motor Traders Association.
"If they are in breach of the existing regulations they should be dealt with under the regulations but if they are not in breach of the regulations then the regulations should be tightened," he added.
A known carcinogen, asbestos has been illegal in Australia since 2004.
