The US Environmental Protection Agency said Monday that it is taking a “historic” step by banning ongoing uses of asbestos, which has long been linked to multiple types of cancer.
The final rule applies to chrysotile asbestos, the only form of asbestos currently being used or imported to the United States. This type of asbestos is used in car parts such as aftermarket automotive brakes and linings and other vehicle friction products and gaskets.
While the use of asbestos has been declining for decades in the US, asbestos exposure is linked to more than 40,000 deaths in the US, according to the EPA.
