For Americans whose lives have been touched by malignant mesothelioma, a U.S. ban on asbestos is a long-held goal, so the EPA’s presentation this week to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals is garnering significant attention. While the agency is defending its recent rule prohibiting the ongoing use of chrysotile asbestos, industry groups and a noted mesothelioma advocacy group are arguing against it, each for their own unique reason.
EPA Defends Restrictions on Chrysotile Asbestos, a Primary Cause of Mesothelioma
In 2024, the EPA issued a rule prohibiting the ongoing use of one of the primary causes of malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Chrysotile asbestos is the only form of asbestos that has continued to be used and imported into the country over the last several years, and the agency issued its rule under the Biden administration after finding that it poses an unreasonable risk to human health. An internal review in recent weeks has apparently allowed the rule to stand, but outsiders continue to challenge it.
The legal objections to the rule come from widely diverse sources: While mesothelioma advocates, including the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, say the ruling didn’t go far enough, and object to the EPA allowing too much time for industry compliance, industry groups argue that the EPA exceed its authority. The United Steelworkers have asserted that the rule fails to protect chemical industry workers in the same way it does other industries.
Asbestos Still in Use Poses Mesothelioma Risk
What is clear to the EPA, the steel workers, and mesothelioma advocates, is that chrysotile asbestos is dangerous. The agency called the mineral “one of the world’s most notorious carcinogens” and explained that the conditions it has been linked to are “estimated to kill at least 10,000 Americans every year.” Industry groups arguing against the ban downplay the risk of mesothelioma, pointing instead to the value of chrysotile asbestos in the process of making cleaning agents, pharmaceutical products, food production, and many other uses.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net are here to help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
