The last asbestos mine in the United States closed in 2002. It is commonly believed that the U.S. no longer manufactures products containing asbestos, a known cause of mesothelioma cancer.  Unfortunately, this is not the case.  According to the EPA, about 3,000 tons of asbestos are imported to the U.S. annually for use in manufacturing products such as roofing materials and coatings, friction products, gaskets and packing.  Products manufactured overseas and imported to the U.S. account for an even greater amount of  asbestos in our country.

Asbestos Attorney Wisconsin Note: This document from the EPA provides helpful information on what types of asbestos-containing products are and are not banned in the United States: EPA Asbestos Materials Bans: Clarification.

In 1989, the EPA issued a final rule known as the “Asbestos Ban and Phaseout Rule,” which was intended to ban all commercial use of asbestos in the United States. But in 1991, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit overturned the rule. As a result, there are only six categories of products that remain subject to an asbestos ban:

• Commercial paper
• Corrugated paper
• Specialty paper
• Flooring felt
• Rollboard and
• New uses of asbestos

Some products not subject to an asbestos ban include:

• Asbestos clothing
• Asbestos-cement corrugated sheet
• Asbestos-cement flat sheet
• Millboard
• Asbestos-cement shingle
• Roofing felt
• Roof and non-roof coatings
• Asbestos-cement pipe
• Pipeline wrap
• Vinyl-asbestos floor tile
• Automatic transmission components
• Friction materials
• Clutch facings
• Drum brake linings
• Disc brake pads
• Brake blocks and
• Gaskets

In many cases, you cannot tell the difference between asbestos and non-asbestos forms of the same product just by looking at it. The only way to know for certain if a product contains asbestos is to have it tested.

Asbestos Attorney Wisconsin Commentary:

Do you have asbestos in your home?

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency have put together a safety guide titled “Asbestos in the Home,” which contains excellent information on how to test for asbestos, and how to contact an accredited asbestos professional in case you need to have asbestos removed from your home.

Contact Asbestos Attorney Wisconsin

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, contact an asbestos attorney Wisconsin at our office for a free consultation. Call 715.843.6700 to speak with an asbestos attorney Wisconsin. Email asbestos attorney Wisconsin.

Do you have questions for an asbestos attorney Wisconsin? If you or a family member have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, or if you have lost a loved one to mesothelioma, an asbestos attorney Wisconsin can advise you as to your rights. Asbestos and Mesothelioma attorneys serving clients in throughout Wisconsin. Call 715.843.600 for more information about asbestos attorney Wisconsin or to speak with an asbestos attorney Wisconsin.  General information to discuss with a mesothelioma asbestos lawyer.