EPA Seeks Reconsideration of Asbestos Ban: What It Means for Public Health and Accountability
In June 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its intent to reconsider the 2024 ban on chrysotile asbestos—the last type of asbestos still legally used in the United States.
This move follows legal challenges from chemical industry groups and could delay enforcement of the rule for up to 30 months while the agency reevaluates its scope. The reconsideration has raised serious concerns among health advocates and mesothelioma victims’ families, who fear this could undermine long-overdue protections against a known carcinogen.
Read the full AP News report on the EPA’s reconsideration of the asbestos ban.
What the 2024 Asbestos Ban Covered
The 2024 rule marked the first final risk management action under the reformed Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and aimed to phase out chrysotile asbestos entirely from commercial use.
🚫 Banned Uses and Products:
- Asbestos diaphragms
- Used in the chlor-alkali industry to produce chlorine and sodium hydroxide.
- Compressed asbestos sheet gaskets
- Common in chemical manufacturing, power plants, and industrial processing.
- Aftermarket automotive brakes and linings
- Found in imported parts used in older vehicles, including heavy-duty trucks.
- Brake blocks
- Used in rail transportation and industrial machinery.
- Clutch facings and transmission friction parts
- Found in certain imported or specialty vehicle components.
- Sheet and molded asbestos gaskets
- Used in mechanical seals, engines, valves, and piping systems.
- Miscellaneous asbestos-containing imports
- Including some cement products, sealants, and industrial insulation materials.
The ban set phased compliance deadlines for each use, with some prohibitions already in effect and others scheduled through 2026.
Why the EPA Is Reconsidering
In its court filing, the EPA stated that it intends to review whether:
- The 2024 rule was broader than necessary under TSCA.
- Some uses could be allowed under enhanced safety controls.
- The economic impact on industry was adequately addressed.
The agency is expected to pause its defense of the rule in court while this review takes place, and enforcement deadlines may be delayed—though they have not yet been officially paused.
The Human Cost: 40,000 Deaths Annually
Chrysotile asbestos is no safer than other forms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that asbestos-related diseases kill approximately 40,000 Americans each year, including:
- Mesothelioma
- Lung cancer
- Asbestosis
- Ovarian and laryngeal cancers
Most victims were exposed on the job, in the military, or through secondhand exposure decades before their symptoms appeared.
Reconsideration Sparks Outrage
Health and safety advocates argue that the EPA’s reconsideration puts lives at risk. Groups like the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) say this sends the wrong message to industries that have long resisted accountability.
“No level of asbestos exposure is safe,” said ADAO co-founder Linda Reinstein. “Delaying the ban only guarantees more families will suffer.”
What Victims and Families Should Know
While EPA enforcement may slowdown, your legal rights remain unchanged. If you or someone you love has developed mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, you may still have a strong claim—even if exposure occurred decades ago.
At Madeksho Law, we have a long history of standing up to companies that prioritize profits over people. We know the science. We know the tactics. And we know how to fight for justice for you and your family.
Contact Madeksho Law
📞 Call us at 888-910-MESO (6376)
🔗 Visit our contact page to request a free consultation.
We’re here for you—no matter what the EPA decides next.
