It’s been a long time coming. Many people mistakenly believe asbestos was banned decades ago. The EPA did ban most asbestos-containing products back in 1989, but a federal appeals court overturned that ban in 1991. You can still buy brake pads and other products containing asbestos, and asbestos is still present in many buildings around the country.
While the new legislation, proposed by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and co-sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), may not force building managers to remove asbestos from their buildings, it will ban the importation and exportation of products containing any of the six regulated forms of asbestos if it is passed.
Mesothelioma widow speaks out
This past week, the widow of Bruce Vento, a Minnesota congressman who died of malignant mesothelioma in 2000, implored Congress to pass pending legislation that will ban asbestos.
“Your bill will bring hope to all of us whose lives have been touched by this disease,� said Bruce Vento’s widow, Sue Vento, to the Senate Health Committee’s employment and workplace safety subcommittee. “It will prohibit the use of asbestos and will correct the mistaken belief held by so many that asbestos was banned decades ago.�
Asbestos continues to put americans at risk
While most automakers stopped using asbestos in their brake parts in the 90s, many imported brake parts still contain the substance.
At the hearing, Sen. Patty Murray held up a box of asbestos brake pads she purchased earlier in the week and asked, “How many more Americans have to die before our government finally does the right thing and bans asbestos? We have to do the right thing, and we have to do it now.�
The United States is lagging behind forty other countries that have already banned the substance.
Murray had championed the proposed ban for years, but made little progress with the Republican-controlled congress. She stands a better chance to get some proposed changes to stick now that Congress is controlled by Democrats who don’t side with big businesses as often.
“I’ve been at this for six years, this is my third bill, and I know we cannot wait another year to fix this problem,” Said Murray, adding that about 10,000 people die of asbestos-related diseases every year.
Hopefully, this signals the beginning of the real end of asbestos in the United States. This coupled with the many unfortunate asbestos-related deaths forecasted for the coming years may just be wake-up call the federal government needs.
