EPA Seeks Data to Regulate Legacy Asbestos Uses Under TSCA
EPA issued a TSCA information request on June 23, 2026, targeting legacy asbestos uses and disposals.
Why it matters: Legal and compliance teams in environmental and industrial sectors should prepare for upcoming regulations affecting asbestos liabilities and operational requirements.
- EPA's request covers both non-chrysotile and chrysotile asbestos fibers, including asbestos-containing talc.
- Stakeholders such as workers, building owners, states, Tribes, industry, and communities are asked for real-world exposure data.
- Responses to the EPA request are due by August 24, 2026, to inform proposed rules.
- EPA aims to propose the Asbestos Part 2 risk management rule by June 3, 2027, after completing its legacy asbestos risk evaluation in December 2024.
On June 23, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched an information request to gather data essential for developing regulations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This request focuses on managing risks related to legacy asbestos uses and disposals, targeting both non-chrysotile and chrysotile asbestos fibers, as well as asbestos-containing talc.
The EPA aims to collect real-world data from a wide range of stakeholders: workers, building owners, states, Tribes, industry players, and affected communities. The focus is on exposure that arises "whenever asbestos-containing materials are disturbed — during renovation, demolition, or repair," according to the EPA announcement. This data will help tailor protections more effectively to where asbestos exposure actually occurs.
Responses to the information request are due by August 24, 2026. This timeline is designed to support the EPA’s target of proposing its Asbestos Part 2 risk management rule by June 3, 2027. The rule will build upon the EPA's December 2024 final Risk Evaluation for Asbestos Part 2, which concluded that disturbing legacy asbestos materials presents unreasonable health risks.
Previously, the EPA addressed chrysotile asbestos risks in Part 1 of its evaluation completed in December 2020, identifying unreasonable risks to workers and consumers. The current part expands the scope to legacy asbestos uses and associated disposals.
Legal and compliance professionals should closely monitor this rulemaking process. It may impose new obligations for handling legacy asbestos materials, affecting environmental compliance, risk management, and liability exposures.
By the numbers:
- June 23, 2026 — EPA announced TSCA information request
- August 24, 2026 — Deadline for stakeholder responses
- June 3, 2027 — EPA plans to propose Asbestos Part 2 risk management rule
- December 2024 — EPA completed final Part 2 Risk Evaluation for legacy asbestos
What's next: Stakeholders must submit responses by August 24, 2026, to influence the shape of proposed asbestos regulations expected in mid-2027.