Asbestos Imports Have Started to Rise Again, Fueled by Manufacturers' Demands

After several years of decline, the importing of asbestos into the United States is back on the rise, infuriating advocates like Linda Reinstein of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Mineral Commodity Summaries released this week, asbestos imports were are up by more than 25 percent in 2011. "I was appalled and shocked (to learn the numbers)," Reinstein said in a statement released this morning. "The asbestos industry has argued for years that importation and exposure was decreasing. We have discovered that the argument simply isn't true." Asbestos Banned in More Than 50 Countries Asbestos, which was once coveted around the world, has been banned in more than 50 countries – but not the United States or Canada -- because of its toxic nature. The inhalation of asbestos fibers can lead to a variety of serious health issues, including mesothelioma, which is diagnosed in an estimated 2,500  Americans annually. Asbestos, which was once used in the making of more than 3,000 different products, has not been mined in the United States since 2002. With asbestos use being restricted severely, the imports had been declining steadily – until now. According to USGA figures, manufacturers imported 1,100 metric tons of asbestos in the first seven months of 2011 (figures from the last five months were not available yet), which was more than all 12 months of 2009, or 2010. More than 90 percent of the imports came from Canad...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Asbestos Exposure & Bans Source Type: news