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Asbestos Ban and Phase Out under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)

The Toxics Substances Control Act allows the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate existing chemicals, such as asbestos, when they create a risk to public health or the environment. It also gives the EPA authority to regulate distribution and use of new commercial chemicals before they enter the market.

Under the TSCA, regulations regarding the manufacture, use and processing of asbestos were created. However, much of the authority fell under the 1989 EPA Asbestos Ban and Phase Out Rule that was vacated and remanded by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1991, setting aside previous regulations.

The TSCA ban on the following asbestos containing products is no longer in effect:

  • Existing asbestos-cement corrugated or flat sheet
  • Asbestos clothing
  • Pipeline wrapping
  • Roofing felt
  • Vinyl-asbestos floor tiles
  • Asbestos cement shingle or pipe
  • Millboard
  • Clutch facings
  • Automatic transmission components
  • Fricition materials
  • Disc brake pads and drum brake linings or blocks
  • Gaskets
  • Non-roofing and roof coatings

Products that are still banned by the TSCA are:

  • Courrugated paper
  • Rollboard
  • Commercial and specialty paper
  • Flooring felt
  • All new uses of asbestos