The U.S. Is Finally Banning Asbestos for Good

Key TakeawaysThe EPA issued a final ban on chrysotile asbestos, the last form of asbestos still used in the United States.Experts called for a quicker industry transition to safer materials and a total ban on asbestos.

Key Takeaways

The EPA issued a final ban on chrysotile asbestos, the last form of asbestos still used in the United States.Experts called for a quicker industry transition to safer materials and a total ban on asbestos.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday fully banned the use of asbestos, a carcinogen that is still used in some chlorine bleach, car parts, and other products.

The agency’s rule applies to chrysotile asbestos, also known as “white asbestos,” the most common type of asbestos in the world. This new rule is the first step taken under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act from 2016, which aims to tighten regulations on chemicals.

Chrysotile asbestos is already banned in over 50 countries. It’s found in approximately 30 million homes and buildings in the United States.

The ban has stopped the imports of raw chrysotile asbestos, mainly for the automotive, construction, and textiles industries. This also includes the chlor-alkali industry, which uses asbestos diaphragms in the production of sodium hydroxide and chlorine, which are crucial for disinfecting drinking water and wastewater.

However, the current ban only covers one of the six recognized asbestos fibers and only applies to six specific uses, saidArthur Frank, MD, PhD, professor of environmental and occupational health at Drexel University.

“The current modest move forward would potentially still allow some products to be used,” Frank told Verywell.

He added that a transition period of 10 years or more is unreasonable, especially considering that some industries have already transitioned and others could do so more quickly.

The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2022 is a much more comprehensive ban that would cover asbestos in totality, he said, although industries have lobbied against strict rules, making it hard for regulations to pass.

The risk of asbestos exposure isn’t limited to old homes. Automobile mechanics, for example, often developed asbestos–related diseases.

“If consumers buy friction products, they should be sure they are asbestos-free,” Frank said. “As for other items, it can be tough to know if asbestos is present since no labels are needed for many such items.”

What This Means for You

3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Environmental Protection Agency.Biden-Harris Administration finalizes ban on ongoing uses of asbestos to protect people from cancer.Zimmer AT, Ha H.People, planet and profit: unintended consequences of legacy building materials.J Environ Manage. 2017;204(Pt 1):472-485. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.09.026Ameille J, Rosenberg N, Matrat M, et al.Asbestos-related diseases in automobile mechanics.Ann Occup Hyg. 2012;56(1):55-60. doi:10.1093/annhyg/mer066Additional ReadingIARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans.Asbestos (chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite and anthophyllite). In: IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, No. 100C.Arsenic, metals, fibres and dusts. International Agency for Research on Cancer;2012.

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Environmental Protection Agency.Biden-Harris Administration finalizes ban on ongoing uses of asbestos to protect people from cancer.Zimmer AT, Ha H.People, planet and profit: unintended consequences of legacy building materials.J Environ Manage. 2017;204(Pt 1):472-485. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.09.026Ameille J, Rosenberg N, Matrat M, et al.Asbestos-related diseases in automobile mechanics.Ann Occup Hyg. 2012;56(1):55-60. doi:10.1093/annhyg/mer066Additional ReadingIARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans.Asbestos (chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite and anthophyllite). In: IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, No. 100C.Arsenic, metals, fibres and dusts. International Agency for Research on Cancer;2012.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Environmental Protection Agency.Biden-Harris Administration finalizes ban on ongoing uses of asbestos to protect people from cancer.Zimmer AT, Ha H.People, planet and profit: unintended consequences of legacy building materials.J Environ Manage. 2017;204(Pt 1):472-485. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.09.026Ameille J, Rosenberg N, Matrat M, et al.Asbestos-related diseases in automobile mechanics.Ann Occup Hyg. 2012;56(1):55-60. doi:10.1093/annhyg/mer066

Environmental Protection Agency.Biden-Harris Administration finalizes ban on ongoing uses of asbestos to protect people from cancer.

Zimmer AT, Ha H.People, planet and profit: unintended consequences of legacy building materials.J Environ Manage. 2017;204(Pt 1):472-485. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.09.026

Ameille J, Rosenberg N, Matrat M, et al.Asbestos-related diseases in automobile mechanics.Ann Occup Hyg. 2012;56(1):55-60. doi:10.1093/annhyg/mer066

IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans.Asbestos (chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite and anthophyllite). In: IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, No. 100C.Arsenic, metals, fibres and dusts. International Agency for Research on Cancer;2012.

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