Posted on July 17, 2024
The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now (ARBAN) Act (S.1069 & H.R.2402) Statement of Principles
Each year, an estimated 40,000 Americans die from preventable asbestos-caused diseases. Nearly 70 countries have banned asbestos, yet asbestos imports and use continue in the United States. In 1989, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule banning asbestos-containing products. However, due to industry legal challenges, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans overturned the regulation in 1991. That was the last time the U.S. attempted to ban asbestos. In the following three decades, we’ve lost over one million American lives to asbestos-caused illnesses.
Since 2016, Congress has introduced seven Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now (ARBAN) Acts. In 2019, the bicameral ARBAN was introduced and was voted out of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce (E&C) with a strong bipartisan margin of 47-1 on November 19, 2019. Although ARBAN was scheduled on the House suspension calendar in September 2020, the bill was removed and failed to proceed for a floor vote. ARBAN was re-introduced in May 2022 and again in March 2023 (S.1069 & H.R.2402) by Sen. Jeff Merkley and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici.
ARBAN would accomplish three critical public health objectives:
- It would ban the importation and commercial use of all six asbestos fibers (chrysotile, crocidolite (riebeckite), amosite (cummingtonite-grunerite), anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite) as well as Libby Amphibole, winchite, and richerite. All six fibers are carcinogenic, and there is no safe level of asbestos exposure.
- Chlor-alkali plants using asbestos diaphragms would be required to eliminate asbestos use and convert to non-asbestos technology following a two-year transition period.
- Finally, we will develop an educational outreach program to support full compliance with ARBAN.
Early 2024 ARBAN Supporters Include: American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, American Public Health Association, Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, Center for Environmental Health, Collegium Ramazzini, ConnectiCOSH, Environmental Information Association, Environmental Working Group, GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer, International Association of Firefighters, Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health, National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, Natural Resources Defense Council, Occupational Knowledge International, Olin Corporation, PHILAPOSH, Rutgers School of Public Health, Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, SafeWork Washington, Toxic-Free Future, and United Mine Workers of America.