Why Is Asbestos Banned?

Asbestos is a known carcinogen that has killed untold thousands of people worldwide. While the health risks associated with asbestos are well known, the substance still is not universally banned. Many countries have banned the use of asbestos, but the United States is not among them.

Respiratory Health Risks

• Inhaling asbestos fibers can cause pleural plaques and pleural thickening (two types of scarring of the lining of the lungs), asbestosis (a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the lungs), lung cancer (tumors and cancerous growths in the lobes of the lung) and mesothelioma (a rare cancer that can affect the lungs, as well as other tissues in the chest and abdominal cavity).

Other Health Risks

• Inhaling or ingesting asbestos can also lead to cancers of the gastro-intestinal tract, ovarian cancer, throat cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a rare form of mesothelioma that affects the testicles.

U.S. Asbestos Practices

• The use of asbestos has not been banned in the United States, although many applications of the material are no longer permitted. The Environmental Protection Agency attempted to ban the substance in the late 20th century, but its efforts were thwarted in a court case in the early 1990s.

Asbestos Bans

• The use of asbestos has been banned in Australia, France and Brazil, among many other countries.

The Developing World

• Many poorer countries of the developing world--including those in Southeast Asia and Africa--rarely regulate the handling or disposal of asbestos. Countries in the West, such as Canada, export asbestos to these countries, and this practice is criticized by many humanitarian organizations.