The Asbestos Ban

Ask any American if asbestos use is banned in the United States and they will mostly likely say "yes". The fact remains, however, that asbestos has never been banned in the U.S., despite the fact that for nearly a century, physicians and scientists have been pointing out the dangers of the material, which was - for decades - considered to be a miracle mineral thanks to its incredible heat- and fire-resistant properties.

To date, there is a total ban on asbestos in more than 40 countries throughout the world, including all the countries of the European Union. The United States is the only world power that has not yet banned the mineral in its entirety though it does ban certain forms of asbestos and makes suggestions and offers guidelines on how and when to use the varieties of asbestos that are not prohibited.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the organization responsible for making sure laws and regulations in regards to asbestos use are adhered to and they are permitted to impose fines for those who do not follow the rules.

Why Hasn't the US Banned Asbestos?

For several decades, environmental watch dog groups, labor unions, and a handful of senators and congressmen have been attempting to secure a total ban on asbestos. For example, in 1989, the EPA issued a final rule banning most asbestos-containing products, but the regulation was overturned by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. As a result of the Court's decision, notes the EPA's website, the following specific asbestos-containing products remain banned: flooring felt, rollboard, and corrugated, commercial, or specialty paper. In addition, the regulation continues to ban the use of asbestos in products that have not historically contained asbestos, otherwise referred to as "new uses" of asbestos.

Most advocacy groups fighting for the rights of asbestos-disease sufferers believe that the main reason the toxic mineral is not being banned is due to pressure on politicians from asbestos industry lobbyists -- those people who stand to lose a great deal of money if asbestos is banned in its entirety. Though there is no definitive proof that these individuals are standing in the way of a total asbestos ban, senators like Patty Murray of Washington seem to concur with the theory.

Murray has campaigned tirelessly for the rights of asbestos-disease victims and their families and in October 2007, the Ban Asbestos Now bill that has been backed by Murray was passed by the Senate. This is the closest any total ban on asbestos in America has come to being passed. It now awaits approval by other government legislative bodies.

Still, those who once backed Murray's bill claim it has been altered to please industry lobbyists, no longer offering a full ban on asbestos but rather allowing particular exceptions that many find disturbing, including continued use of asbestos by the U.S. Department of Defense and NASA.