"Asbestos Ban Gets House Panel’s OK, But Senate Fate Less Clear"

"A House committee approved legislation Nov. 19 to ban asbestos but allow certain chemical manufacturers to transition away from use of the cancer-causing mineral.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved on a 47-1 vote H.R. 1603, an amended version of the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019. The bill would ban the mineral, with a few exemptions, within one year.

Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) encouraged his colleagues to vote for the amended bill saying it would better protected national security needs, recognize that a small amount of asbestos may be a naturally occurring contaminant in some mining operations, and protect the nation’s supply of chlorine and caustic soda—two chemicals that are used to make a multitude of other products."

Pat Rizzuto reports for Bloomberg Environment November 19, 2019.

Source: Bloomberg Environment, 11/20/2019