The Trump administration will reconsider a regulation that aims to ban or phase out ongoing uses of asbestos.
The Trump administration revealed its plans to reconsider the Biden-era rule in a court filing on Monday.
The filing did not provide additional details on what changes the Trump administration could make, if any, but the last Trump administration did much less to tackle the issue.
Exposure to asbestos causes lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare cancer that occurs in the lining of the lung, chest and the abdomen and heart. Asbestos-related diseases are estimated to kill thousands of Americans each year.
Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it would require companies to phase out their uses of a type of asbestos known as chrysotile asbestos, which is the only known type of asbestos used in the U.S.
Under its rule, companies making automotive breaks would have six months to stop making products with asbestos, while other industries would have more time. Most sheet gaskets, a type of seal, that contain asbestos will be banned after two years, while the chlor-alkali sector, which makes chemicals like chlorine for treating water, would have up to 12 years to make the change.
The chemical industry sued the EPA over the rule. When Trump took office, his administration asked the court to pause the case while it decided what it wanted to do with the rule.
The administration now says it plans to reconsider the Biden rule through a formal rulemaking process. It said this process, “including any regulatory changes,” could take about 2.5 years.
It did not say what changes it planned to make to the rule. However, the last Trump administration, rather than banning asbestos, simply required companies to notify it before they initiated new uses of the fibers.
David Fotouhi, who the Senate recently confirmed for the No.2 role at the agency, represented a group of car companies that argued against the asbestos ban in a legal filing last year.
Historically, asbestos was used in roofing and cement — and may still be found in old buildings.
Once its health effects became known, the use of asbestos declined, but it remained in use to disinfect drinking water and wastewater. It also continued to be use in vehicle brakes, mechanical seals, and oil and gas drilling.
