When the debate over asbestos was at its zenith decades ago, it was widely publicized that the government took steps to ban the mineral. However, this does not mean that asbestos is banned entirely. Indeed, this is far from the case in certain key respects.
Here is a closer look at the legality surrounding asbestos.
Asbestos Is Still Imported by the Tons Every Year
Today, it is illegal to mine asbestos in the United States. However, this does not mean it is illegal to import asbestos from elsewhere. In fact, it is common enough that many products still contain asbestos today, and the Department of Commerce and U.S. International Trade Commission estimated that 705 metric tons of raw asbestos were imported in 2016. For reference, a metric ton is 2,200 pounds, so rest assured that, sadly, asbestos is still used widely in certain industries despite the asbestos ban.
In reality, some uses of asbestos are legal, but the mineral is heavily regulated by many federal laws regarding the use and removal of the mineral.
Prior Legal History Concerning Asbestos Bans
For public safety and asbestos awareness advocates, it has long been a goal to completely ban asbestos. This makes sense since the medical consensus is that there is no safe use of asbestos, and a consensus has also been reached that all forms of asbestos may cause cancer.
However, the EPA did take a significant step in that direction when 90% of asbestos products were banned by the EPA in the late 1980s. This ban, however, was ultimately limited in scope by a Circuit Court decision that allowed some products, such as brake pads, gaskets and floor tiles, to continue using asbestos.
Asbestos Remains From Older Buildings and Jobsites
In addition to the limiting but continued use of asbestos for new products, health risks remain from older homes, buildings and jobsites that extensively used asbestos. Common examples of locations where asbestos exposure was most common and risks remain include:
- Factories
- Construction sites
- Shipyards
In short, the risk of asbestos exposure and the cancer it causes have not gone away. The risk remains, and thousands continue to be diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis and asbestos-related lung cancer every year.
In addition to the newly diagnosed asbestos victims, thousands pass away from mesothelioma every year, and veterans are especially affected by the harms of mesothelioma. Since shipyards, military bases and military vehicles used asbestos extensively, it is perhaps unsurprising but no less tragic that military veterans suffer nearly 1 out of every 3 mesothelioma deaths.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma because of exposure to asbestos, pursue the legal compensation you may be entitled to receive by reaching out to The Ledger Law Firm.
Our team will review the facts of your claim and get to the truth of how your mesothelioma was caused, including when and where the wrongful exposure occurred. Contact us online today to protect your legal rights by discussing your mesothelioma claim with the nationally recognized Ledger Law Firm.
