This past April, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed banning the use, manufacture and import of the most pervasive type of asbestos, chrysotile. Although advocates continued to demand a complete ban of all forms of asbestos, the EPA’s proposed rule was still considered a step in the right direction.

Now the EPA has released “Risk Evaluation for Asbestos Part 2”, which significantly expands upon the narrow chrysotile asbestos proposed ban. Part 2 broadens the scope of the EPA’s asbestos risk assessment by including all types of asbestos, including talc and legacy asbestos exposure and disposal:

“For Part 2 of the Risk Evaluation for Asbestos, EPA will consider chrysotile (serpentine), crocidolite (riebeckite), amosite (cummingtonite-grunerite), anthophyllite, tremolite, actinolite, and Libby Amphibole Asbestos (and its tremolite, winchite and richterite constituents). This expansion is consistent with the focus of part 2 of the risk evaluation for asbestos on legacy uses and disposal, particularly asbestos-containing building material. Additionally, EPA will assess the relevant conditions of use of asbestos-containing talc, because talc has been implicated as a potential source of asbestos exposure.”

The EPA is scheduled to complete the final risk evaluation by December 1, 2024.

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