EPA Rejects Asbestos Protection Petition
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization recently sent a petition to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) demanding regulations and changes regarding the
transparency of asbestos use in products. The EPA has now responded to this petition and does
not plan to implement any of the suggested changes.
One of the requests made by the petitioners was for the EPA to end the naturally-
occurring chemical exemptions for asbestos. This means that the EPA would require companies
and manufactures of asbestos and products that may contain asbestos to report asbestos
content to the EPA. The EPA rejected this, stating that if the manufacturers imported the
threshold amount of 2,500 pounds of product, they would have to report asbestos use to the
EPA anyways. This did not satisfy petitioners. In fact, another request was brought up in the
petition that directly relates to this problem. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization also
requested that the EPA lower the threshold amount to 10 pounds, instead of the before
mentioned 2,500. The EPA rejected this as well, stating that there are not enough shipments of
asbestos related products under 2,500 pounds to warrant changing that rule.
Another key demand for the EPA was focusing on transparency of asbestos reports
made to the EPA by manufacturing companies. The petition asked directly to have the
Confidential Business Information claims listed for public use. This would allow other
organizations to view the data and make their own assumptions about the use of asbestos in
the products. The EPA firmly stated that they will not be releasing any of the data used in these
CBI claims, and that they would continue to interpret the information as they see fit and not
release it to the public or other organizations.
Although all of the requests in the petition were shot down, the Asbestos Disease
Awareness Organization will continue to fight against asbestos use and push for more clarity on
asbestos use in products.
adxasbestos removal.com 125 S Clark St Chicago, IL
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization recently sent a petition to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) demanding regulations and changes regarding the
transparency of asbestos use in products. The EPA has now responded to this petition and does
not plan to implement any of the suggested changes.
One of the requests made by the petitioners was for the EPA to end the naturally-
occurring chemical exemptions for asbestos. This means that the EPA would require companies
and manufactures of asbestos and products that may contain asbestos to report asbestos
content to the EPA. The EPA rejected this, stating that if the manufacturers imported the
threshold amount of 2,500 pounds of product, they would have to report asbestos use to the
EPA anyways. This did not satisfy petitioners. In fact, another request was brought up in the
petition that directly relates to this problem. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization also
requested that the EPA lower the threshold amount to 10 pounds, instead of the before
mentioned 2,500. The EPA rejected this as well, stating that there are not enough shipments of
asbestos related products under 2,500 pounds to warrant changing that rule.
Another key demand for the EPA was focusing on transparency of asbestos reports
made to the EPA by manufacturing companies. The petition asked directly to have the
Confidential Business Information claims listed for public use. This would allow other
organizations to view the data and make their own assumptions about the use of asbestos in
the products. The EPA firmly stated that they will not be releasing any of the data used in these
CBI claims, and that they would continue to interpret the information as they see fit and not
release it to the public or other organizations.
Although all of the requests in the petition were shot down, the Asbestos Disease
Awareness Organization will continue to fight against asbestos use and push for more clarity on
asbestos use in products.
adxasbestos removal.com 125 S Clark St Chicago, IL
