A new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule imposing stricter oversight for asbestos has roiled both environmental groups and members of the public who want to see the known carcinogen banned due to the serious health concerns linked to it, Chemistry World reports.

Issued on April 17, 2019, the agency’s new rule dictates that companies get EPA approval to domestically manufacture or import specific types of asbestos products.

Asbestos is comprised of minerals that separate into flexible fibers and is commonly used in household materials and industrial building products.

Chronic health problems, such as lung cancer from asbestos exposure, has been a prominent concern for public health since the 1970s, when federal authorities started severely limiting its use and requiring companies to implement strict protection policies for their workers, according to the National Cancer Institute.

But the EPA’s decision was meant to focus on further controlling types of asbestos products released before these policies were implemented.

The purpose of the rule, according to the EPA, is to ensure that asbestos products that are no longer available for purchase cannot re-enter the market without heavy scrutiny from the EPA. Environmental groups have argued this new rule is insufficient and some key lawmakers have called for asbestos to be outright banned.

Rep. Frank Pallone, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said the new rule does “nothing to restrict the ongoing of uses of asbestos” and “provides a pathway to market for uses that had previously been phased out, such as floor tiles and insulation.”

Overview of Asbestos Exposure Concerns

Before the 1980s, asbestos was popularly used for a variety of manufacturing purposes, due to its fire and chemical resistant nature.

It was widely used during World War II, for insulation on various ships and shipyards. Numerous people have reportedly developed lung cancer from asbestos exposure, according to the American Cancer Society.

When inhaled or swallowed, asbestos fibers can become lodged in the lungs and stomach and eventually cause cancer cells to develop. Lung cancer from asbestos exposure can take decades to develop, so this disease is often diagnosed at a late stage.

Due to the severity of asbestos health complications, many public health officials and lawmakers are dissatisfied with the EPA’s recent decision.

“This new rule makes it more difficult for industry to resume some abandoned uses of asbestos, but that is a half-step at best,” said Melanie Benesh, the legislative attorney for the Environmental Working Group.

Benesh reportedly faulted EPA chief Andrew Wheeler for not using the agency’s authority to update the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to prohibit the use of asbestos.

The EPA argues the new rule will increase its ability to “rigorously review an expansive list of asbestos products” that are no longer on the market before they can be sold again in the United States.

The EPA went on further to say that it did not have the authority to prevent or restrict certain asbestos products from re-entering on the market.

The American Chemistry Council (ACC), a chemical industry trade group, has reportedly endorsed the EPA’s new rule. The ACC states that it will strengthen asbestos regulations by requiring manufacturers and importers to provide notifications to the EPA of incoming asbestos products.