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Neither company responded to a request for comment. Frank Reiner, president of the Chlorine Institute, which represents chlorine manufacturers and distributors, said member companies should review the proposed rule before commenting.
The industry considers it safe to use chrysotile asbestos, he said. “There are measures that have been in place in the production of chlorine for many years,” said Mr. Reiner. “We believe we are using it safely and taking appropriate precautions.”
The United States Chamber of Commerce said in a statement that banning chrysotile asbestos as it is used in the production of chlorine used to purify drinking water would have “unintended consequences”. Marty Durbin, head of the chamber’s energy institute, said the EPA should take a “more realistic approach to asbestos regulation.”
According to the United States Geological Survey Mineral Commodities Summaries report, approximately 300 metric tons of chrysotile asbestos were imported into the United States in 2020. It’s used almost exclusively to make chlorine-based products, the EPA said.
A 2020 assessment by the EPA found “unreasonable risks to human health” associated with asbestos diaphragms, sheet gaskets, brake blocks and other products.
Restrictions on asbestos diaphragms and sheet gaskets for commercial use will come into effect two years after the final rule goes into effect. Bans on oilfield brake blocks, aftermarket automotive brakes and pads, other vehicle friction products, and other gaskets for commercial use will take effect 180 days after the rule goes into effect.
Linda Reinstein, president and founder of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, said five other types of asbestos are just as dangerous and should be banned. One of the biggest threats is legacy asbestos, which stems from decades of unbridled use of the product in construction, building insulation, and the manufacture of many products, she noted.
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