G/TBT/N/USA/1850  
13 April 2022  
(22-3028) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [1879]  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Chrysotile 
Asbestos; Asbestos (excl. products made from asbestos) (HS code(s): 2524); Friction 
material and articl es thereof, e.g., sheets, rolls, strips, segments, discs, washers, pads, 
not mounted, for brakes, clutches or the like, with a basis of asbestos, other mineral 
substances or cellulose, whether or not combined with textile or other materials (excl. 
mounted friction material) (HS code(s): 6813); Environmental protection (ICS code(s): 
13.020); Air quality (ICS code(s): 13.040); Protection against dangerous goods (ICS 
code(s): 13.300); Road vehicle systems (ICS code(s): 43.040); Products of the chemical 
industr y (ICS code(s): 71.100)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Asbestos Part 
1: Chrysotile Asbestos; Regulation of Certain Conditions of Use Under Section 6(a) of the 
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); (33 page(s), in Englis h) 
6. Description of content:  Proposed rule - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is 
proposing a rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to address the 
unreasonable risk of injury to health it has identified for conditions of use of chrys otile 
asbestos following completion of the TSCA Risk Evaluation for Asbestos, Part 1: Chrysotile 
Asbestos. TSCA requires that EPA address the unreasonable risks of injury to health and 
environment by rule and to apply requirements to the extent necessary s o that chrysotile 
asbestos no longer presents such risks. Therefore, to address the unreasonable risk 
identified in the TSCA Risk Evaluation for Asbestos, Part 1 from chrysotile asbestos, EPA 
is proposing to prohibit manufacture (including import), process ing, distribution in 
commerce and commercial use of chrysotile asbestos for chrysotile asbestos diaphragms 
for use in the chlor -alkali industry, chrysotile asbestos -containing sheet gaskets used in 
chemical production, chrysotile asbestos -containing brake blocks used in the oil industry, 
aftermarket automotive chrysotile asbestos -containing brakes/linings, other chrysotile 
asbestos -containing vehicle friction products, and other chrysotile asbestos -containing 
gaskets. EPA also is proposing to prohibit manuf acture (including import), processing, 
and distribution in commerce of aftermarket automotive chrysotile asbestos -containing G/TBT/N/USA/1850  
 
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  brakes/linings for consumer use, and other chrysotile asbestos -containing gaskets for 
consumer use. EPA is also proposing disposal and recordkeeping requirements for these 
conditions of use.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protection of human health or safety; Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents:   
87 Federal Register (FR) 21706, 12 April 2022; Title 40 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Part 751:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2022-04-12/html/2022 -07601.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2022-04-12/pdf/2022 -07601.pdf  
This proposed rule is identified by Docket Number EPA -HQ-OPPT-2021-0057. The Docket 
Folder is available f rom Regulations.gov at https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EPA -HQ-
OPPT-2021-0057/document  and provides access to primary and supporting documents 
as well as comments received.  Documents are also accessible from Regulations.gov  by 
searching the Docket Number. WTO Members and their stakeholders are asked to submit 
comments to the USA TBT Enquiry Point by or before 4pm Eastern Time  on 13 June 2022. 
Comments received by the USA TBT Enquiry Point from WTO Members and their 
stakeholders will be shared with the regulator and will also be submitted to the Docket  
on Regulations.gov if received within the comment period.  
G/TBT/N/USA/1685  - Asbestos (Part 1: Chrysotile Asbestos); Final Toxic Substances 
Control Act (TSC A) Risk Evaluation; Notice of Availability published 4 January 2021  and 
identified by Docket Number EPA -HQ-OPPT-2019-0501. The Docket Folder is available on 
Regulations.gov  at https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=EPA -HQ-OPPT-2019-0501 
and provides access to primary and supporting documents as well as commen ts received.  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  13 June 2022  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/USA/22_283 0_00_e.pdf