WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency's ban on chrysotile asbestos — the last form of asbestos still in commercial use in the United States — took effect in March 2026, completing a regulatory process that began with the Toxic Substances Control Act reforms of 2016.
Chrysotile asbestos had continued to be used in a small number of industrial applications, including chlor-alkali plants, after earlier EPA bans were overturned by courts in the 1990s. The new ban, which survived legal challenges, prohibits the manufacture, processing, and distribution of chrysotile asbestos for any purpose.
For restoration contractors, the ban's most significant practical implication is the prohibition on using chrysotile-containing replacement parts or materials when repairing or restoring older buildings. Contractors must use asbestos-free alternatives, even when replacing like-for-like components in structures that originally contained asbestos.
The ban does not change the requirements for handling existing asbestos-containing materials in older buildings, which remain governed by EPA's National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants and OSHA's asbestos standard. Contractors must still follow established protocols for asbestos abatement and disposal.
The EPA has published compliance guidance for contractors working in older buildings, available on the agency's website. Restoration contractors who are uncertain about whether materials in a structure contain asbestos should have them tested by a certified asbestos inspector before beginning any work that could disturb the materials.
