Asbestos Ban and Phase-out
On July 12, 1989, EPA issued a final rule
banning most asbestos-containing products. In 1991,
this regulation was overturned by the Fifth Circuit Court of
Appeals in New Orleans. As a result of the Court's
decision, the following specific asbestos-containing
products remain banned: flooring felt, rollboard, and
corrugated, commercial, or specialty paper. In addition, the
regulation continues to ban the use of asbestos in products
that have not historically contained asbestos, otherwise
referred to as "new uses" of asbestos. Below are the
four relevant Federal Register notices and a document that
provides more detail on the status of EPA's ban on
asbestos-containing products. Asbestos: Manufacture, Importation,
Processing, and Distribution in Commerce Prohibitions; Final
Rule (54 FR 29460, July 12, 1989) (FRL-3476-2)
[PDF] Asbestos; Manufacture, Importation,
Processing and Distribution Prohibitions; Effect of Court
Decision; Continuing Restrictions on Certain
Asbestos-Containing Products (57 FR 11364, April 2, 1992)
(FRL-4044-2)
[PDF] Asbestos; Manufacture, Importation,
Processing and Distribution Prohibitions; Continuing
Restrictions on Certain Asbestos-Containing Products (58 FR
58964, November 5, 1993) (FRL-4635-7)
[PDF] Technical Amendment in Response to Court
Decision on Asbestos; Manufacture, Importation, Processing
and Distribution Prohibitions; Technical Amendment (59 FR
33208, June 28, 1994) (FRL-4776-7)
[PDF] EPA
Asbestos Materials Ban (ABPO Rule): Clarification
[PDF] - May,
1999