The latest EPA report reveals that legacy uses of asbestos in building insulation, pipes, tiles, and other construction materials can still pose a serious health risk if disturbed. While these uses of asbestos may be common in older buildings constructed before 1978, the fibers typically only become harmful when they are disturbed.
The draft risk evaluation from the EPA indicates that all types of asbestos present an unreasonable risk to human health. Although five of the six types of asbestos fibers have been phased out for decades, they can still be found in older buildings and even in trace amounts in products like talc, which is used in the manufacturing of baby powders.
In response to these findings, the EPA recently announced a ban on all ongoing uses of chrysotile asbestos, the only type of asbestos still imported and used in the United States. This action is a crucial step towards protecting public health and preventing further exposure to harmful asbestos fibers.