The Environmental Protection Agency recently opted to stop fighting a court order regarding asbestos. It was battling over closing loopholes that make it difficult for the agency to compile information about asbestos importing and use. A group of environmental advocacy agencies took the EPA to task over the seemingly widespread use of asbestos.
In a settlement for the case that was presented to the court, rule-making would be used with a specific timeline for meeting milestones. This ban would help to protect many individuals, but it might send some industries scrambling.
Why is a blanket ban on asbestos important?
More than 40,000 people die in this country each year because of asbestos-related diseases. Each one of those deaths could have been prevented if the individual wasn’t exposed to asbestos, so limiting exposure is key to preventing future deaths.
Many countries around the world have completely banned asbestos, but the United States has continued to allow its use in various applications. Despite the health dangers that are known regarding asbestos, it’s still widely used in shipbuilding, car part manufacturing and a host of other industries. There’s also the exposure that comes from people who handle asbestos abatement from homes and other establishments that were built using the dangerous mineral.
What can you do if you’re suffering from an asbestos-related disease?
Individuals who are suffering from mesothelioma or another asbestos-related condition face a long, difficult journey that’s filled with medical care and other challenges. Those individuals might opt to pursue a claim for compensation to help defray the costs associated with their condition. Time limits apply for these cases, so be sure to consider this when you’re determining what to do.