Senate Introduces Latest Attempt to Ban Asbestos

U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., introduced legislation in Congress this week that would effectively ban all use of asbestos. The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2017 is the sixth legislative attempt to ban the toxic substance in the last 20 years. All previous bills failed to gain enough support. While the 2016 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) already includes asbestos on its top ten chemicals for risk review by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Merkley’s legislation could speed the process considerably. What Would the Bill to Ban Asbestos Do? According to Merkley’s congressional office, the legislation would: Disallow, within a year, the manufacturing, processing, use or distribution of commercial asbestos other than described in the EPA’s standing rule. Impose restrictions, within 18 months, on the use of asbestos necessary to eliminate human or environmental exposure to all forms of asbestos. Require the EPA to identify and assess known uses of, and exposures to, all forms of asbestos. “It’s time for us to catch up with the rest of the developed world and ban this dangerous public health threat once and for all,” according to Merkley’s statement released by his office last week. “It’s outrageous that in the year 2017, asbestos is still allowed in the United States.” Asbestos Is Still Killing People Asbestos is the toxic, naturally occurring mineral that once was coveted for its tensile strength, flexibility and heat resistance, used...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act asbestos ban Cory Booker environmental protection agency EPA Jeff Merkley Jon Tester Raja Flores Steve Daines Toxic Substances Control Act TSCA u.s. congress Source Type: news