Trump is Considering Lifting Ban on Asbestos

I am doing a quick story on this because I was unaware of it, having missed the coverage by Meteor Blades in today’s Earth Matters and elsewhere. From the Daily Beast:

The Trump administration is considering green-lighting the use of the fiber despite its known toxicity, according to a Monday court filing, per The New York Times. Asbestos is banned in more than 50 countries and is linked to an estimated 40,000 deaths annually.

Asbestos of course is one of the most carcinogenic substances known. It is famously the only known cause of mesothelioma. Asbestos lawsuits have driven many companies into bankruptcy, including well known ones such as  Johns-Manville and a subsidiary of Owens-Corning. A list of nearly 150 companies bankrupted by asbestos lawsuits can be found here. 

The supreme irony of the MAHA Presidency planning to permit one of the most dangerous materials on the planet to come back into common use in America has not been lost on some:

“We're removing additives from food and replacing them with asbestos." #MAHA pic.twitter.com/F4clIdcuLk

— Hoodlum 🇺🇸 (@NotHoodlum) June 19, 2025

And the cherry on the cake, and maybe the explanation: who would you guess might be one of the world’s largest suppliers? If you guessed someone whose initials are “V.P.” you would be right.

Guess which country is the biggest producer of asbestos?!

Hint: pic.twitter.com/Ue8mnDvGCy

— Sassiest Minx nka Petty Betty 🐆 🇺🇸 (@SassiestMinx) June 19, 2025