While 55 countries around the world have banned asbestos — including Germany, Italy, and Japan — asbestos is still not banned in the U.S. as of 2020.
The EPA tried to ban asbestos completely in 1989, but a court decision overturned this ruling in 1991.
In 2018, the EPA attempted to pass controversial new rules that may have allowed the material to be used again on a case-by-case basis.
After heavy criticism — from both the general public and members of the EPA itself — the organization passed a new rule which banned over 20 asbestos-containing products in 2019. However, this rule still did not ban the material completely.
Mary Hesdorffer, Executive Director of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (MARF), has stated:
“The EPA’s 2019 final rule falls short of its stated goal to protect the public from asbestos exposure as it does nothing to address imported asbestos and the legacy asbestos in our homes and workplaces. Despite regulations, the number of deaths from mesothelioma continues to increase.”