The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a major prohibition on the continued use of chrysotile asbestos in the United States, with the goal of protecting public health.
The decision, announced on Monday, comes as part of President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative, which seeks to advance cancer research and treatment using federal resources.
President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Initiative Spurs Asbestos Ban Decision
EPA Administrator Michael Regan emphasized the urgent need for action, citing the clear and settled science that indicates there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos. Chrysotile asbestos, renowned for its resistance to heat, fire, and electrical conduction, has persisted in various construction and industrial products despite its well-documented carcinogenic properties.
Regan underscored the grave health risks associated with asbestos exposure, including lung cancer, mesothelioma, ovarian cancer, and other serious health complications. According to the EPA, asbestos is implicated in over 40,000 deaths in the U.S. annually.
The ban represents a pivotal step towards addressing longstanding concerns surrounding asbestos use and advancing the Biden administration’s environmental justice agenda. White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory hailed the decision as a major stride towards chemical safety improvement, aligning with President Biden’s commitment to ending cancer as a public health threat.
The EPA’s previous attempts to regulate asbestos under the Toxic Substances Control Act faced legal obstacles, limiting its scope to new asbestos-containing products. However, Monday’s ban marks a watershed moment as the first restriction issued for existing chemical use since the Act’s overhaul in 2016.
Michal Freedhoff, assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, emphasized the significance of the ban in protecting public health and highlighted the pivotal role of legislative reform in strengthening chemical safety regulations.
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EPA Sets Deadlines to Phase Out Chrysotile Asbestos
EPA compliance deadlines have been set to facilitate the transition away from various uses of chrysotile asbestos, ensuring a reasonable transition period while expediting the discontinuation of asbestos use in affected products.
Administrator Regan hailed the ban as a precursor to forthcoming environmental protection measures, emphasizing the Biden administration’s commitment to leveraging legislative tools to safeguard public health and the environment.
As the EPA forges ahead with its mission to protect public health and the environment, Monday’s ban on chrysotile asbestos stands as a crucial milestone in advancing chemical safety and fulfilling the agency’s mandate to ensure a healthier and safer future for all.
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