The health dangers of asbestos are widely known, but where in the world is the use of asbestos against the law? Although the use of asbestos is completely banned in the United States, many other countries have completely banned the use of asbestos and products. Other countries, like the United States, have only banned certain types of asbestos. There are six main types of asbestos, which include the following: 
1. Chrysotile (most often used form of asbestos)
2. amosite (brown asbestos)
3. crocidolite (blue asbestos)
4. tremolite (a contaminant in chrysotile asbestos)
5. Anthophyllite (gray -brown, extracted mainly in Finland)
6. Actinolite (often found in the metamorphic rock)
is a list of dates and countries that have issued complete bans or de facto bans on the use of six types of asbestos, according to the Secretariat Web site International ban asbestos
- 1980 - .. Israel issues a de facto ban on the use of asbestos
- 1983 - Iceland ban (with exceptions) all types asbestos
- 1984 -. Norway introduced a ban on all types of asbestos
- 1995 -. Kuwait banned all types of asbestos under Resolution No. (26) for the year 1995.
- 1996 - Bahrain banned asbestos by Ministerial Order No. / 1996, which prohibits the import, manufacture and movement of raw materials and asbestos products
- 1997 -. Poland banned all types of asbestos
- 1998 -. Saudi Arabia bans asbestos in the Council of Ministers Decision No. 162.
- 00/01 - the four most industrialized states in Brazil (70 percent of the national market of asbestos) prohibit asbestos
- 01 -. Chile banned asbestos with Decree No. 656 of the Ministry of Health
- 04 -. Honduras introduced a ban on asbestos with some exceptions
- . 05 - Bulgaria banned the import, production and use of all types of asbestos
- 05 -. Japan announced a total ban on asbestos in three years
- 05 -. Egypt banned the import and manufacture of all types of asbestos
- 06 -. Jordan banned all types of asbestos for all uses
- 09 - .. South Korea banned all types of asbestos use
- 09 - Algeria bans all types asbestos products and by Executive Decree No. 09 - 321.
- 2010 -. Taiwan announced a complete ban on all types of asbestos, which would be implemented within ten years
- 2010 - Mozambique issues a complete ban on the production, use, import, export and the trade of asbestos and products
- 2010 -. Turkey banned all types of asbestos
- 2011 -. Thai Cabinet Thailand approves a resolution to ban all uses of asbestos
- 2012 -. Japan issued a total ban on asbestos
As you can see, the United States and Canada are not on this list .. Canada continues to exploit and export thousands of chrysotile asbestos tons every year. Both countries continue to use products containing asbestos. Because of this, workers as auto mechanics can still be exposed to asbestos today through products such as brake pads, brake linings, clutch facings, seals and more.
For a list of non asbestos products banned in the US, visit the website of the Environmental Protection Agency on asbestos.
