Experts push Congress to pass bipartisan asbestos ban

Public health and safety advocates used ADAO’s 20th Congressional Staff Briefing in Washington to press Congress to back a bipartisan bill banning asbestos. The push comes as federal action on legacy asbestos rules continues and experts warn the deadly mineral still causes tens of thousands of preventable U.S. deaths each year.

Why it matters: - Asbestos remains legal in the U.S. even though it is a known carcinogen tied to more than 40,000 preventable deaths each year. - Advocates say a statutory ban would be harder to undo than a regulatory rule and could help prevent future exposure in homes, schools, workplaces and public buildings. - Firefighters, first responders and people exposed during renovations, demolitions, fires and disasters still face ongoing risk from legacy asbestos.

What happened: - The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization held its 20th Congressional Staff Briefing, “Impact of Asbestos on Public Health, Environment, and Economy,” in the Capitol Visitor Center. - Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) sponsored the briefing, which drew a bipartisan group of congressional staffers during Mesothelioma Awareness Month. - The event urged congressional offices to cosponsor the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act, a comprehensive asbestos ban bill.

The details: - Speakers included Brent Kynoch of the Environmental Information Association, Linda Reinstein of ADAO, Greg Russell of the Federal Fire Fighters Joint Council at the International Association of Fire Fighters, and Bob Sussman, counsel for ADAO. - The briefing agenda covered asbestos-related diseases including mesothelioma, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, laryngeal cancer and asbestosis. - Speakers also focused on legacy asbestos in buildings and the risk when it is disturbed. - The discussion included the EPA’s Part 1 Chrysotile Asbestos Final Rule, the final Part 2 Legacy Asbestos Risk Evaluation and the pending Part 2 risk management rule. - The briefing also addressed continuing health consequences for firefighters and first responders 25 years after the Sept. 11 attacks. - The ARBAN Act of 2026 was introduced Aug. 4 by Sens. Jeff Merkley and John Curtis (R-Utah) as S. 5235 and referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. - Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) are leading the House companion bill, H.R. 5373. - The legislation would amend the Toxic Substances Control Act to ban all six asbestos fibers — chrysotile, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite, tremolite and actinolite — plus Libby Amphibole asbestos. - The bill would create a statutory ban that could not be reversed by a future administration. - The U.S. Geological Survey’s 2026 Mineral Commodity Summaries said the U.S. imported no raw asbestos fiber from 2023 through 2025. - The chlor-alkali industry, the only remaining domestic consumer, used an estimated 50 metric tons from stockpiles in 2025. - EPA’s 2024 Part 1 chrysotile rule is under agency review. - EPA has said it plans to propose its Part 2 risk management rule for legacy asbestos by June 3, 2027.

Between the lines: - The briefing shows continued bipartisan interest in asbestos policy even as federal rulemaking remains in flux. - ADAO is trying to shift the debate from managing asbestos exposure to eliminating the material entirely. - Reinstein said nearly 70 countries have already banned asbestos, underscoring the group’s argument that the U.S. is behind global practice.

What's next: - ADAO wants Congress to cosponsor and advance the ARBAN Act and wants EPA to complete strong asbestos rules. - ADAO will host its 21st Annual Asbestos Awareness and Prevention Conference, “Asbestos: Awareness, Prevention, and the Law,” on Sept. 25-26, 2026, at the AC Hotel Arlington National Landing in Arlington, Virginia. - Staffers and lawmakers are invited to attend. - More details are available on the 20th Congressional Staff Briefing page.

The bottom line: - The campaign is now centered on turning years of asbestos warnings into a permanent federal ban.