Chemical name: Asbestos

Final regulatory action has been taken for the category: Industrial

Final regulatory action: The chemical is Severely Restricted

Use or uses prohibited by the final regulatory action:

Crocidolite: all possible uses prohibited. All types of asbestos: use as an input to the manufacture of construction materials is prohibited without exception. All types of asbestos: use for any item, component or product that does not constitute a construction material is prohibited unless excepted

Use or uses that remain allowed:

Any type of asbestos except crocidolite: the use of asbestos may be authorized in the manufacture of products or components that are not construction materials so long as the interested parties can prove that there is no technically or economically feasible substitute for it.

The final regulatory action was based on a risk or hazard evaluation: Yes

Summary of the final regulatory action:

Production, importation, distribution, sale and use of crocidolite and any material or product containing it is prohibited. Production, importation, distribution, sale and use of construction materials containing any type of asbestos is prohibited. Production, importation, distribution, sale and use of chrysotile, actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, tremolite and any other type of asbestos, or mixture thereof, for any item, component or product that does not constitute a construction material is prohibited, with certain specific exceptions.

The reasons for the final regulatory action were relevant to: Human health

Summary of known hazards and risks to human health:

All types of asbestos are hazardous to health to varying degrees depending on the form of exposure (it has been shown that the risk is from inhalation), the class of asbestos (blue asbestos is the most toxic), the size of the fibres, fibre concentration and interaction with other factors (tobacco smoking potentiates the effects). Generally speaking, the highest exposures are amongst the working population whether during manufacture of materials containing asbestos or during installation or demolition. Asbestos causes three diseases:

- Asbestosis: Asbestosis is a chronic, diffuse, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis whose seriousness varies with the duration and intensity of exposure. In its initial stages, the disease is asymptomatic; in advanced cases, however, the affected worker presents signs and symptoms of chronic respiratory insufficiency.

- Bronchopulmonary cancer: Lung cancer related to asbestos cannot be clinically differentiated from other forms of cancer of the lung. A higher incidence of adenocarcinoma has been recorded amongst workers exposed to asbestos.

- Mesothelioma: Mesothelioma is a malign tumour of the pleura or peritoneum associated exclusively with asbestos exposure. In both cases, the progress of the disease is rapid, with death usually occurring within a year of the first symptoms appearing.

Date of entry into force of the final regulatory action: 12/07/2001