Senator Murray’s Renewed Effort to Ban Asbestos in the U.S.

The following is taken from U.S. Senator Patty Murray’s Weekly Report to the People of Washington, March 5, 2007. It relates to legislative efforts to ban asbestos in America:

Many Americans assume – as I once did – that asbestos is already banned in the United States. In fact, in 1989, the EPA tried to ban asbestos, but most of those regulations were overturned in court in 1991. As a result, while new applications for asbestos have been banned, asbestos is still being used in every day products including automotive brakes, floor tiles, roofing material, cement pipes, and even hair dryers. Tragically, up to 10,000 Americans lose their lives to asbestos exposure each year. Many of these deaths can be avoided.

Last Thursday I took two critical steps in what has been a six year effort to heighten asbestos awareness and ban asbestos in the U.S.

First, I introduced legislation that will:

• Ban the importation, manufacture, processing and distribution of all products containing asbestos.

• Dramatically expand asbestos research and treatment.

• Launch a public education campaign to protect Americans from the dangers of asbestos.

To listen to Sen. Murray’s testimony or learn more about the Ban Asbestos in America Act bill, click here [[http://murray.senate.gov/asbestos/update5.html]].

Courtesy of The United States Senate

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