Judge Rules EPA Must Tighten Asbestos Data Collection
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Written By: Tim Povtak,
Last modified: January 7, 2021
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United States District Judge Edward Chen has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to improve its data collection on the amount of asbestos and asbestos products that are coming into the country.
SAN FRANCISCO (CN) Rejecting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s position that it has everything it needs to assess the risk posed by asbestos, a federal judge on Tuesday ordered the agency to start collecting more data on how much is made, imported and put into U.S. products.
“EPA has not articulated a satisfactory explanation for its decision not to use its significant enforcement powers to collect information from companies concerning asbestos-related health risks,” U.S. District Judge Edward Chen wrote in a 36-page ruling.
In fighting a lawsuit over the agency’s refusal to close asbestos-reporting loopholes, the Trump administration had argued that voluntary reporting by manufacturers, processors and importers provided adequate data for a required chemical risk review that started in 2016.