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US Veterans Deserve Better Than a Reconsidered Asbestos Ban

Hold the Helm on Asbestos: Why the EPA Must Keep Chrysotile Banned

Asbestos is the bad‑apple of the natural world. The mineral that once powered shipyards and HVAC systems today is the culprit behind a staggering number of cancers and lung woes. While most asbestos has been off the market since the late ’80s, one type—chrysotile, or “white asbestos”—still slipped through the cracks for years. The EPA finally slapped a hard ban on it in 2024, but the Trump‑era administration is now threatening to pull the plunger on that clamp.

Why the Bypass Is a Back‑Door to Disaster

In the first half of the twentieth century, the U.S. military turned to asbestos because it was cheap, tough, and heat‑proof. The white variant, chrysotile, was the star of the show, flaking into every ship, plane, barracks, and vehicle they built.

Fast forward to now—each moment the fibers danced into the air, they were inhaled or ingested, then lodged deep in lungs, hampering sanity for decades. Today, about 3,000 people in the U.S. get mesothelioma each year, 30% of whom are veterans. Navy crews and shipyard workers still face the highest risks. The staggering fallout: 12,000 to 15,000 asbestosis deaths each year. New York alone churns out more than 15,000 asbestos‑related deaths between 1999 and 2017, with a big chunk from old military grounds like Plattsburgh Air Force Base and Fort Drum.

What’s at Stake?

• Veteran Health: 688,611 former service members in New York alone. Another 30% of mesothelioma cases trace to military exposure.
• Workforce Exposure: Industrial workers carried asbestos into their homes.
• Long‑Term Latency: Symptoms can surface decades after exposure—so the disease is a time capsule of past negligence.

EPA’s Tightrope Walk

After a clean ban in 2024, the agency now faces legal pushback from manufacturers arguing the rule is overkill. In June 2025, the EPA told a federal appeals court it would weigh its last restriction again. While a July flip‑back fired another legal counter‑attack, the mood is “tossing a knife in the fire.”

For a material that killed thousands, a teeter‑toe attitude toward protection is a surefire regret.

Why We Must Keep the Ban Tight

Every breath of asbestos is a ticking time bomb. The evidence is crystal—removing the ban risks reopening a history of preventable deaths. Let’s remember the veterans, the families, and the everyday workers who’ve paid the price for decades of lax policy.

As asbestos is a clear, long‑term health hazard, the EPA must remain resolute in safeguarding communities. The lost lives deserve a long‑lasting, iron‑clad legal shield.