Chemical and Engineering News discusses a potential amendment to the Toxic Substances Control Act:
Under S. 742, EPA would regularly review the chlor-alkali industry’s exemption. The agency could revoke the exemption if it finds that use of the asbestos diaphragms poses an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment.
The bill would also provide exemptions to the military and NASA, allowing them to continue to use asbestos for critical functions.
EPA attempted to phase out nearly all asbestos-containing products in 1989, but a federal appeals court threw out the regulation in 1991. The court said EPA did not give enough consideration to alternative ways to control asbestos exposure that would be less burdensome on industry than a ban.
S. 742, which would amend the Toxic Substances Control Act, next goes to the full Senate for consideration.
See the full article here: Senate Panel Adopts Bill To Ban Asbestos.