(5MinNewsBreak.com) – Decades after its first restrictions on asbestos, the US Environmental Protection Agency has now announced a total ban on the cancer-causing mineral that kills thousands of Americans annually, which is still employed in the manufacturing of products such as chlorine bleach and brake pads.
The EPA disclosed on Monday its decision to impose a complete prohibition on asbestos, cited by The New York Post.
This definitive regulation signifies a significant broadening of the EPA’s authority under a pivotal law established in 2016.
The legislation revamped the regulatory framework for numerous toxic substances in various consumer products, such as household cleaning agents, apparel, and furnishings.
The new EPA regulation will specifically outlaw chrysotile asbestos, which is the sole remaining form of asbestos utilized in the United States.
This particular variety of asbestos is incorporated into products like brake linings and gaskets and is also a component in the production processes for chlorine bleach and sodium hydroxide, commonly called caustic soda.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan heralded the enactment of this rule as a critical advancement for public health protection.
“With today’s ban, EPA is finally slamming the door on a chemical so dangerous that [it] has been banned in over 50 countries,” Regan said.
“This historic ban is more than 30 years in the making, and it’s thanks to amendments that Congress made in 2016 to fix the Toxic Substance Control Act,” he added regarding the principal legislation in the United States regulating chemical usage.
It is well-documented that asbestos exposure can lead to lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other forms of cancer, contributing to over 40,000 fatalities in the US each year.
The termination of current asbestos applications aligns with the objectives of President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative, which is a comprehensive governmental effort aimed at eradicating cancer as a major health issue in the country, as stated by Regan.
“The science is clear: Asbestos is a known carcinogen that has severe impacts on public health. This action is just the beginning as we work to protect all American families, workers and communities from toxic chemicals,” he declared.
The 2016 legislation granted the EPA the authority to implement new regulations for an extensive range of toxic chemicals present in everyday items, including those substances like asbestos and trichloroethylene which have been recognized as carcinogenic for years but were mostly unregulated under previous federal laws.
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