New US asbestos rule criticised as outright ban on the carcinogen ditched
By 
Rebecca Trager2019-04-25T14:30:00
Environment agency issues policy that requires companies to seek approval for discontinued uses of the material
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is under fire for a new policy that, rather than banning asbestos outright, requires that manufacturers notify the agency and seek its approval before resuming use of the known carcinogen.
The EPA’s final significant new use rule, issued on 17 April, mandates that companies obtain approval in order to domestically manufacture or import specific types of products containing asbestos.