US Asbestos Imports Surge Despite Crackdown

E&E News by E.A. Crunden

Washington, DC – Advocates are reiterating calls for a national ban on one of the world’s most notorious carcinogens, with data showing imports for asbestos are on the rise this year despite ongoing regulatory action. Tracking by the U.S. International Trade Commission shows that 114 metric tons of raw chrysotile asbestos have been imported in the first three months of 2022 — a number exceeding the 100 metric tons imported during the entirety of last year. Those imports are driven by the chlor-alkali industry, which uses asbestos diaphragms to make chlorine. Chrysotile asbestos, or “white” asbestos, accounts for the overwhelming majority of asbestos brought into the United States. For the full text, click here.