Comprehensive Ban on Asbestos by the US EPA: 22 Mar 2024

What is Asbestos?

• Asbestos includes six silicate minerals used in construction and consumer goods.

Exposure Modes:

•  Inhalation or ingestion of particles, hazardous regardless of asbestos type.

Types of Asbestos: Actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, crocidolite, tremolite (amphibole minerals), and chrysotile (serpentine mineral).

Health Risks: 

• Causes lung cancer, mesothelioma, laryngeal and ovarian cancer, and asbestosis (WHO reports).

Industry Impact: 

• Ban challenges the chlor-alkali industry, affecting water treatment chemical production.

Regulation in India:

•  India bans asbestos mining and some uses, but trade in raw asbestos and products continues.

Why in News:

• The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently declared a full ban on all types of asbestos.