Asbestos: EPA releases Part 2 of risk evaluation, plans proposed rule

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency will begin the risk management process to “address the unreasonable risk presented by legacy uses and associated disposal of asbestos,” which includes publishing a proposed rule to protect people from the identified risks.

Asbestos is a known human carcinogen linked to lung cancer and mesothelioma – a cancer of the membranes in the abdomen and chest.

On Dec. 3, EPA issued Part 2 of a final risk determination that provides an overview of the health risks of asbestos “to workers in certain conditions.” The evaluation comes on the heels of an EPA final rule that bans the use and import of chrysotile asbestos (the focus of Part 1). The ban was announced in March and went into effect May 28.

Part 2 addresses five other types of asbestos fiber beyond chrysotile, as well as talc and Libby asbestos. The evaluation centers on legacy uses of asbestos – defined as those “without ongoing or prospective manufacturing, processing or distribution” – and “future disposal” of these uses.

Legacy uses include asbestos-containing construction materials in older homes, such as floor and ceiling tiles, pipe wraps, and insulation.

EPA “expects that the highest asbestos exposure potential exists” for workers who regularly cut, sand or grind materials containing asbestos, such as construction workers involved in demolition. Additionally, first responders, including firefighters, also may face risk because “fires and other emergencies can distribute asbestos material in buildings,” triggering exposure.

In a press release, Linda Reinstein, president of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization and whose late husband, Alan, died from mesothelioma in 2006, applauds the development.

“EPA’s final evaluation brings long-overdue attention to the grave risks of legacy asbestos and validates what ADAO has long emphasized: Legacy asbestos is a persistent and deadly threat,” Reinstein said.

She added: “While this evaluation represents important progress, it is only the beginning. Prevention is the cure, and we must ensure these EPA findings drive strong policies to protect public health and save lives.”