Asbestos Ban Bill

[MasterJedi]

I'll ask because I'm not entirely sure, are there any products that provide a general benefit to society that contains asbestos? If not, I think we can pass this quickly.

Siege

Only thing I can think of is that it's a fire retardant. That's all well and good but if it gets into the air (schools, other buildings) it can cause cancer over time which is not good.

[MasterJedi]

I urge all Senators to vote against this bill.

I'd like to know why?

[MasterJedi]

I support this bill. I have known several people who died or became severely and chronically ill as a result of longterm exposure to asbestos.
Other things can be used as fireproofing material and I am convinced that more people have been killed by asbestos than have been saved by it. If this Senate cannot pass a simple public health measure then what the hell is it good for?

Well spoken Mr. Senator.

[MasterJedi]

After thinking about what Hugh has said I broke it up into sections. So I propose this one large amendment.


1. The Senate hereby bans the importation of Asbestos.
2. The Senate hereby bans the mining of Asbestos.
3. The Senate hereby bans the transportation of Asbestos without a permit obstained from the federal government.
4. The Senate hereby bans the sale of Asbestos within Atlasia.
5. The Senate hereby bans the use of Asbestos in the construction of products. 

[MasterJedi]

I'll just post this for now. http://www.toxicslink.org/art-view.php?id=12

[MasterJedi]

Aye

[MasterJedi]

Bumping for other Senators.

[MasterJedi]

Aye

[MasterJedi]

I have a problem with this provision:

4. The Senate hereby bans the sale of Asbestos within Atlasia.

How is "asbestos" defined here? If it includes "products that include asbestos", it might ban the sale of buildings that have asbestos in their walls, which would clearly be totally absurd. If it only includes 100% pure asbestos, it would be easily circumvented.

Does any senator wish to suggest an amendment to remedy this problem?

It was meant to be anything made with asbestos after this bill passes. So anything that already has asbestos in it previous to this bills passage (Houses as Lewis said) would still be allowed to be sold. As for an amendment I'm not sure, what do you think Al?

[MasterJedi]

We could always go with something along the lines of "...defined as any product containing asbestos, with the exception of houses" or something like that.

Or "any product containing asbestos, with the exception of any product that was made before the passage of this bill"?

[MasterJedi]

Wouldn't it be better than companies going bankrupt because of asbestos lawsuits?

[MasterJedi]

Aye

[MasterJedi]

5 Aye
0 Nay
0 Abstain

Yay it passes!

[MasterJedi]

Yes you're right 2 nays then, 3 nays now. I have no idea why I didn't post that.