Asbestos Information Act
The Asbestos Information Act of 1988 was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan. The purpose of the legislation was to identify and record manufacturers of asbestos-containing products. Asbestos, a known carcinogen, is ideally suited for use in insulation or fireproofing materials because it possesses a unique ability to resist high temperatures and fire damage. However, inhaling asbestos particles puts a person at risk for developing lung cancer or mesothelioma later in life.
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Purpose
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The purpose of the Asbestos Information Act of 1988 (also known as H.R. 5442) was to help identify the companies making certain types of asbestos-containing products and materials in order to facilitate asbestos-related legal claims. To that end, companies were required to submit information to the Environmental Protection Agency about the types of asbestos-containing products they produced, as well as the years in which the products were on the market. The EPA, in turn, published this information for easy public access.
Section 1
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Section 1 of the Asbestos Information Act of 1988/H.R. 5442 simply states the name of the legislation. It reads, verbatim, "The short title of the legislation is the "Asbestos Information Act of 1988."
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Section 2
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Section 2 of the Asbestos Information Act of 1988 is titled "Submission of Information by Manufacturers" and deals with the requirements of asbestos-laden product manufacturers. This section of the legislation required manufacturers to submit information about these products within 90 days of the passing of the legislation in November 1988. Section 2 also indicates that the companies will, "to the extent available, [list] other identifying characteristics reasonably necessary to identify or distinguish the asbestos or asbestos containing material."
Section 3
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Section 3 of the Asbestos Information Act of 1988 required the EPA to publish the information collected by the companies within six months of Reagan's enaction of the bill. Section 3 clarifies that the EPA is responsible for collecting information from the companies and making that information public. However, the EPA is not responsible for fact-checking or verifying the accuracy of the information that the companies provide to the agency.
Section 4
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Section 4 of the Asbestos Information Act of 1988 defines certain terms used in the body of the legislation. The terms defined in Section 4 include asbestos and asbestos-containing material. Asbestos-containing materials (abbreviated to ACM) are defined by the EPA as "any material containing more than one percent (1%) asbestos as determined [by official measures]." ACM can be classified as either friable (able to be crushed by hand pressure when dry) or nonfriable.
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References
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