EPA finalizes ban on the remaining uses of asbestos and the importation of the toxin

On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a final rule to ban use of the only known form of asbestos imported into the United States – an action to shield consumers from the toxic substance that kills nearly 40,000 Americans every year.

It’s the first ever substance that the EPA has successfully banned using new authority Congress gave the agency in 2016, when it updated the Toxic Substances Control Act.

“We commend President Biden and his EPA for their decisive action in finally banning this form of asbestos,” said Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group. “The relentless toll of asbestos-triggered diseases has robbed countless Americans of their lives and continues to leave thousands of families grieving for the loss of loved ones every year.

“The lives destroyed by asbestos represent one of the most tragic public health crises in history,” said Cook. “And, while nothing can be done to alleviate the pain of those families who have lost loved ones, today’s action is a crucial step in ensuring chrysotile asbestos will never again be allowed to be brought into the U.S. and used in commerce.”

The rule is limited to ongoing uses of asbestos based on the EPA’s evaluation of non-legacy uses. The proposed rule is also limited to one type of asbestos, chrysotile.

Although the U.S. has been able to ban certain asbestos-containing products, such as wall compounds and insulation, other items, such as brake pads, could still be made using it. So the lack of a ban on imported products containing asbestos meant that consumers couldn’t be certain if the toys, cosmetics, and other purchases they buy came with asbestos, Cook said.

That’s why the EPA’s new final rule is such a crucial step forward in the ongoing fight to eliminate asbestos, as it will cut off one of the biggest sources of exposure in the U.S., he added.