A month after the Senate passed the first legislation to ban disease-causing asbestos, public health officials and government regulators are speaking out against a bill they once supported.

The bill originally imposed a total ban on asbestos, which was what health experts supported; however, the bill that was actually passed still permits the use of some asbestos products.

Many Voice Concern Over Exceptions in Bill

According to those who are debating the consistency of the bill, between the hearing in June and the Senate’s vote last month, the legislation was somehow watered down to appease powerful lobbyist.

As a result, many asbestos-containing products now aren’t covered by the ban.

In response to the outrage over the bill, Sen. Patty Murray says that the ban is a “major step forward.”

“If I were just Patty Murray and I didn’t have to worry about getting other votes or a Republican president or that I have a one-vote majority in the United States, I’d have a 100 percent ban,” Murray went on to explain.

The EPA Gets Involved

The EPA also agrees that the ban doesn’t go far enough in the fight against asbestos.

“To protect public health and the environment from asbestos hazards, the ban should target any products in which asbestos is intentionally added or knowingly present as a contaminant,” said a letter prepared by the EPA for the House Committee.

(Source: Seattle Post)

Have you been exposed to asbestos? If so, please contact an experienced asbestos attorney today to discuss your legal options and to protect your rights.