Posted on March 29, 2023
Asbestos is a well-known human carcinogen with no safe level of exposure or controlled use. Each year, 40,000 Americans die from asbestos-related diseases, yet many are unaware that asbestos is still legal in the United States. It is time for the U.S. to take action and implement legislation to ban commercial asbestos imports and use.
The newly introduced Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now (ARBAN) Act of 2023 (S. 1069 and H.R. 2402), an amendment to Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Toxic Substances Control Act, is a comprehensive solution that would ban imports and use of all asbestos fibers, with no exemptions or loopholes. This act is necessary to protect public health and prevent unnecessary loss of life.
Although EPA has proposed a Chrysotile Asbestos Final Rule, it only bans one fiber, chrysotile asbestos, in six conditions of use. Americans deserve a ban on all six asbestos fibers and all uses. This will be the only way to fully protect American lives from the scourge of asbestos. Regulations would leave room for litigation and delays, while legislation would ensure immediate action and save lives.
The chlor-alkali industry is the only importer of raw chrysotile asbestos in the United States and has claimed financial difficulties in transitioning to non-asbestos technology. However, the industry has been successfully transitioning away from asbestos diaphragms since 2016, reducing the number of asbestos-dependent plants from 17 to 6 in seven years. Olin Corporation, one of the three remaining users of asbestos in the United States, and the largest global and United States producer of chlor-alkali, has also communicated that they are prepared to stop importing new asbestos, stop manufacturing or replacing asbestos diaphragms in two years, and eliminate all asbestos use in seven years. Action can be taken with both economic and environmental benefits.
The recent increase in asbestos imports from Brazil and China in 2022 by the chlor-alkali industry is deeply concerning. The industry is stockpiling, and a ban on commercial asbestos imports and use is essential to protect Americans from preventable asbestos-related diseases.
We need to rally behind the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act to protect the lives of innocent, hard-working Americans who remain at risk of asbestos exposure. We urge Congress, agencies, and advocates to work together to pass the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act in 2023. You can make a difference by signing the petition to ban asbestos and sending your own #BanAsbestos letter to Congress in 60 seconds or less. Join us and stand with the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and others in advocating for the passage of a comprehensive asbestos ban today. Together we can make change happen.
In summary, it is crucial for the United States to implement legislation to ban commercial asbestos imports and use. The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now (ARBAN) Act of 2023 is a comprehensive solution that would protect public health and prevent the needless loss of life. Let’s take action now to ban asbestos and protect the lives of hard-working Americans.
Linda Reinstein