Sponsors (4)
The bill sharply reduces future asbestos exposures and long‑term public health harms by banning commercial asbestos, but imposes near‑term economic costs on certain industries and narrows some administrative flexibility and transparency around limited national‑security exemptions.
Construction and energy workers will face substantially lower asbestos exposure because the bill bans the manufacture, processing, use, and distribution of commercial asbestos on enactment.
Hospitals and public health systems will likely see a reduced long‑term burden of asbestos‑related disease as near‑total commercial asbestos use is eliminated.
State and local governments will have simpler regulatory oversight and lower future remediation permitting costs because new commercial asbestos uses are no longer allowed.
Owners/operators of existing chlor‑alkali facilities must replace asbestos diaphragms or cease operations by Jan 1, 2030, creating significant upgrade costs, potential plant closures, and job losses.
Manufacturers and suppliers of products containing commercial asbestos will lose immediate legal markets, risking layoffs, business losses, and stranded inventory.
A narrow Presidential national‑security exemption could permit temporary continued asbestos use, prolonging exposure risks for some workers and nearby communities during exemption periods.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Bans manufacture, processing, use, and distribution of defined "commercial asbestos" under TSCA, with a limited chlor‑alkali carve‑out and a one‑time Presidential national‑security exemption.
Introduced September 16, 2025 by Jeff Merkley · Last progress September 16, 2025
Bans the manufacture, processing, use, and distribution in commerce of a defined category of "commercial asbestos" under the Toxic Substances Control Act, while excluding asbestos present solely as an impurity and limiting the change to chemicals regulated under TSCA. It creates a limited, time‑bound carve‑out allowing chlor‑alkali facilities that are operating on enactment to keep using asbestos diaphragms and fibers until January 1, 2030, and authorizes a one‑time Presidential national‑security exemption (up to 3 years, extendable once for up to 3 more years) with required exposure‑minimizing conditions and public notice requirements. The bill also prevents the EPA Administrator from using a separate TSCA waiver authority for commercial asbestos and does not create new funding or new agencies.