US bans the last kind of asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still in use decades after partial ban [Video]

On Monday, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took a significant step in public health by issuing a comprehensive ban on asbestos, a carcinogen linked to multiple types of cancer.

This new rule expands the ban to include chrysotile asbestos, the sole remaining use of asbestos in the US, currently found in products such as automotive brake linings and gaskets. Notably, asbestos has already been prohibited in more than 50 countries worldwide.

Use and health risks

The EPA’s decision marks a major expansion of regulatory authority under the final rule, as mandated by the 2016 amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the nation’s chemical safety law.

Asbestos, a mineral fibre historically utilised in building construction materials for insulation and fire retardation due to its strength and heat resistance, has long been associated with lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other malignancies, leading to over 40,000 deaths annually in the US alone.

By terminating the …