Bill to Ban Asbestos Reintroduced by Oregon Legislators

Two Oregon legislators have reintroduced a bill to end the importation of asbestos, a known carcinogen banned in nearly 70 other countries. The bill would amend the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 and ban asbestos in the United States.  The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2023, first introduced in 2019, was reintroduced March 30 by Sen. Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici. It would “prohibit the manufacture, processing, use and distribution in commerce of commercial asbestos and mixtures and articles containing commercial asbestos, and for other purposes,” according to the bill.  Reintroduction of this bill comes at a pivotal time as the Environmental Protection Agency considers a proposed asbestos ban.  “This long overdue legislation will stop hundreds of tons of raw asbestos imports and asbestos-containing products from entering the United States,” said Linda Reinstein, president of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, which she co-founded in 2004.  Reinstein’s husband Alan, the bill’s namesake, died of mesothelioma in 2006. The disease is caused by exposure to asbestos and there is no cure. “ARBAN will protect all Americans — especially vulnerable workers, disadvantaged communities, consumers, first responders and children — who are most at risk of being exposed to this deadly carcinogen,” Reinstein said. EPA Also Exploring Asbestos Ban  In 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protect...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Asbestos Exposure Awareness/Advocacy Mesothelioma Source Type: news