Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Act

Summary#

This bill would add a new asbestos rule to the Toxic Substances Control Act. It defines "commercial asbestos" as specific asbestiform minerals (including chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite, tremolite, actinolite, richterite, and winchite). It would ban, as of the date the bill becomes law, the manufacture, processing, use, and distribution in commerce of commercial asbestos and mixtures or articles that contain it. The ban does not apply when asbestos is present only as an impurity. Installed products put in place before the law would not be treated as a new distribution in commerce, and materials may be distributed only for disposal to meet disposal rules. The bill allows existing chlor-alkali plants that operate on the enactment date to continue using asbestos fibers and diaphragms for chlor-alkali production until January 1, 2030. The President may grant limited national security exemptions for up to 3 years (with one 3-year extension possible) if there is no feasible alternative; these exemptions must include steps to reduce exposure and generally must be published in the Federal Register unless publication would harm national security. The bill also clarifies it applies to chemical-substance regulation under TSCA and does not change other asbestos rules used for other laws (for example, rules under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act).

What it means for you#

  • Manufacturers, processors, and sellers of materials that intentionally contain the listed commercial asbestos minerals would have to stop those activities when the law takes effect.
  • Buildings and equipment with asbestos-containing materials installed before the law are not newly regulated as a distribution in commerce by this law, but removal and disposal rules still apply.
  • Chlor-alkali facilities that were operating when the law takes effect may continue limited asbestos use for diaphragms until January 1, 2030.
  • The President can allow narrowly defined national security uses for limited periods if no feasible alternative exists. Some exemption applications and grants will be published publicly unless publication would harm national security.
  • The rule applies for purposes of regulating chemical substances under TSCA and does not change how other laws treat asbestos in other contexts.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on estimated costs, savings, or federal budget effects is in the provided bill text or metadata.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information in the provided bill text or metadata stating proponents' stated reasons or arguments.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information in the provided bill text or metadata stating opponents' stated reasons or arguments.