On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency declared a thorough prohibition of asbestos, specifically targeting the only remaining kind of the substance still in use within the United States.

Even though asbestos was the initial substance prohibited by a chemical safety law in 2016, which resulted in its removal from numerous consumer goods, it is still present in certain products such as chlorine bleach and brake pads due to its cancer-causing properties.

The variety of asbestos that is currently prohibited is known as chrysotile asbestos. This particular type of carcinogenic material was utilized by the chlor-alkali industry and primarily obtained from Brazil and Russia. The industry’s main output is bleach, caustic soda, and other items that are commonly employed in water treatment.

The recent ban intends to gradually limit the use of chlor-alkali over a span of five years or longer, with the goal of easing the transition period, as it prohibits importation.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initially prohibited the use of asbestos in 1989, but the ruling was largely reversed in 1991 due to a decision by a higher court. This decision weakened the EPA’s power, granted by the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act, to handle potential dangers to human health caused by asbestos and other chemicals.

Before the announcement on Monday, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, which represents 350 publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities, stated their worries that a sudden ban on asbestos could potentially cause shortages and increased prices for chlorine and other necessary chemicals used in water treatment and disinfection processes.

A restriction on the majority of additional applications of asbestos is set to go into action in two years, including its utilization in manufacturing aftermarket car brakes.

“The evidence is conclusive – asbestos is a confirmed carcinogen with significant consequences for public health,” stated Michael Regan, Administrator of the EPA. “This is why the EPA is pleased to officially implement a long-overdue ban on the continued use of asbestos.”

The Environmental Protection Agency noted that the declaration was included in President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot program, a comprehensive effort to eradicate cancer in the United States. Contact with asbestos has been identified as a contributing factor to lung cancer, mesothelioma, and several other forms of cancer, resulting in over 40,000 fatalities annually in the U.S.

Scott Faber, the senior executive of the Environmental Working Group, a group that advocated for the outlawing of asbestos, gave their approval of the EPA’s statement.

“For too long, polluters have been allowed to make, use and release toxins like asbestos and PFAS without regard for our health,” Faber said. “Thanks to the leadership of the Biden EPA, those days are finally over.”

Synthetic chemicals known as PFAS, which stands for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are commonly utilized in many different types of goods for consumers.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a distinct project aimed at assessing the potential health impacts of asbestos found in older constructions.

This report contains data gathered from Reuters and The Associated Press.