EPA Proposes Asbestos for New Uses

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a new proposed framework that would allow for new uses of asbestos. The material is currently heavily restricted with efforts underway to remove it from many structures. Health impacts of asbestos exposure include lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. Russia is currently the top producer of asbestos. The EPA’s Significant Use Rule (SUR) was proposed under previous EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, released the following statement:

“The Trump Administration’s efforts to bring back asbestos is another direct attack on the health and safety of the American people. We’re still trying to get rid of the dangerous asbestos that still exists in our buildings and schools. Now they want to bring it back for a wide range of new manufacturing uses. It makes no sense to allow manufacturers to use a substance that will poison our lungs, especially not after this determination was made years ago.

“Asbestos was one of the first chemicals regulated under the Clean Air Act. For decades we have known about the dangers of this materials. Asbestos fibers are released into the air and breathed in. This damages the lungs, intestines, and other organs, and can lead to a plethora of dangerous diseases. There is global consensus on the risk of asbestos for 30 years we’ve been working on removing this dangerous substance from our structures and homes.

“This proposal is a dangerous giveaway to manufacturers that puts us directly at risk for serious consequences. This dangerous material can leach into our environment and end up contaminating our natural resources. People exposed can develop serious health impacts, including possibly lung cancer. Studies report that up to15,000 people die from exposure to asbestos each year in the United States. This decision is irresponsible and dangerous. There needs to be a huge public outcry over this ridiculous EPA proposal to allow a dangerous chemical back into our lungs.”