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The Environmental Protect Agency announced on Monday that they’ve issued a final rule to ban the last known form of asbestos (uhs·beh·stuhs) currently used in the US. In 1989 the EPA issued the first ban on asbestos, but the Court of Appeals struck it down two years later.
In 2016, Congress added an amendment to the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. The Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act gave the EPA consistent funding to identify toxic chemicals and create a timeline for their removal. The 2016 amendment made it possible to tackle this last form of asbestos.
“The science is clear – asbestos is a known carcinogen that has severe impacts on public health. President Biden understands that this concern that has spanned generations and impacted the lives of countless people. That’s why EPA is so proud to finalize this long-needed ban on ongoing uses of asbestos,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan in a press release.
Nearly 40,000 Americans die every year due to asbestos-related illnesses. It has already been banned in over 60 countries and is the leading cause of work-related deaths worldwide. As it stands today, 1.3 million US workers are at risk of exposure.
Other forms of the toxic substance have already been phased out. Previous uses for asbestos include attic and wall insulation. Nevertheless, manufacturers widely use chrysotile asbestos and imported it into the country as recently as 2022. Chrysotile accounts for 95% of asbestos used globally.
Manufacturers often use this variation in automotive brakes and similar friction products. Facilities that utilize chrysotile asbestos will undergo a five-year transitionary period to implement safer alternatives.
What Experts Say
The Black Wall Street Times was able to obtain some insight into the harmful effects asbestos exposure can lead to.
Workplace exposure links to several diseases, including mesothelioma, lung, ovarian, and laryngeal cancers.
Registered Nurse Sean Marchese from the Mesothelioma Center’s Asbestos.com explains that inhaling the substance can permanently embed it in the lungs. “This eventually leads to long-term inflammation and scar tissue development,” Marchese said. “These cellular changes also increase the risk of life-threatening cancers such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.”
Blue-collar workers face the highest risk of asbestos exposure, placing them at increased risk. “Typically, men who are over the age of 65 with a history of work in the military, construction industries, mechanics, and firefighting are at a much higher risk of developing mesothelioma later in life,” Marchese stated. About 20% of workers that face exposure will develop an illness.
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He continues by explaining that mesothelioma typically appears many years later.
71% of people who develop mesothelioma are men. Secondary exposure is a concern and can impact spouses and family members of people with firsthand exposure.
Michelle Whitmer, a research expert, states that people are most likely to encounter cancer-causing asbestos while working on older homes and buildings. “Office buildings, schools, military bases and industrial structures were made with asbestos-containing insulation, flooring, roofing and other building materials,” Whitmer stated. “Exposure also occurs by handling brake pads, clutches and gaskets made with asbestos.”
Protecting Yourself from Asbestos
Workers should take precautions when working in older homes and buildings since the naked eye cannot identify the toxic chemical. “Those who own older homes may hire a licensed asbestos professional to test suspicious materials for asbestos,” Whitmer warns. “Anyone concerned about asbestos in their work environment may file a complaint to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.”
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