When we talk about asbestos regulations, the first one that is commonly brought up is the Asbestos Ban and Phase-Out-Rule, which was an EPA (the US Environmental Protection Agency) ruling targeted directly at banning asbestos. While its comprehensive ruling was short-lived, it was not the first legislation from the EPA about asbestos. The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA) was a more general rule that empowered the EPA to put requirements and regulations into play when it came to certain materials and substances, including asbestos. In many ways, it provided the groundwork for asbestos control, including regulations for how asbestos contractors work. [Read more…] about Asbestos Regulations and the Toxic Substances Control Act
Archives for September 2018
How the EPA’s Significant New Use Rule Could Affect Asbestos
On June 1st, 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), specifically the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, proposed a new rule concerning asbestos. This rule, the “Significant New Use Rule” or SNUR had two parts: first blocking some of the currently unregulated uses of asbestos, and then building a new framework for those and other new uses of asbestos to gain formal approval after testing and a safety review by the EPA. For asbestos watchdogs, this is why the SNUR is concerning, as it could potentially bring in new asbestos products into the US for use. [Read more…] about How the EPA’s Significant New Use Rule Could Affect Asbestos
Why Lead Poisoning is So Hazardous to Children
Lead has harmful effects to the human body – just like many of the heavy metals. However, unlike arsenic or mercury, which are highly controlled and contain numerous warnings when used in products, lead is often hiding in plain sight. Lead paint was used widely in the United States until the late 1970s when the government banned its manufacture, but it remains as a dangerous legacy in many older homes. Children, who are most likely to be exposed to lead in a home, are also the most affected by it. Learn about the dangers and what you can do to protect them. [Read more…] about Why Lead Poisoning is So Hazardous to Children
How to Keep Mold Away After Removal From Your Home
If you’ve already had a mold problem in your home, you know the time, energy, and health costs that come with mold growth. It’s time to make sure that it doesn’t come back and, more importantly, that the underlying causes of mold in the first place are dealt with. Regardless of the size of your mold problem or if you had to call in the professionals for removal, the only thing worse than a mold problem is dealing with it a second time. [Read more…] about How to Keep Mold Away After Removal From Your Home
