A Short Regulatory Timeline of Asbestos in the United States
A concise look at the shift from widespread asbestos use to modern workplace controls, environmental oversight, and legacy risk management.
Asbestos use in the United States peaked in the 1970s before declining sharply as federal agencies imposed workplace exposure limits, environmental regulations, and product bans. OSHA, EPA, and other agencies now regulate asbestos in construction, shipyards, general industry, and the environment to manage ongoing legacy risks.
Workplace regulation
OSHA regulates asbestos exposure in general industry, construction, and shipyard work. These standards address monitoring, hazard communication, engineering controls, work practices, respirators, and protective measures where exposure may occur. OSHA
Environmental oversight and legacy use
EPA continues to address asbestos through environmental and chemical safety authorities. In November 2024, EPA released a supplemental asbestos risk evaluation that found certain legacy uses and associated disposals significantly contribute to unreasonable risk. EPA
Why the issue is still current
The modern asbestos story is less about broad new use and more about legacy materials, older buildings, renovation, demolition, and long-term health effects from past exposure. The decline in incidence reflects lower exposure overall, but exposure pathways have not disappeared entirely. CDC