Asbestos Ban Bill

[Emsworth]

Asbestos Ban Bill

The Senate hereby bans the importation, exportation, transportation and sale of asbestos or products that use asbestos.

Sponsor: Sen. MasterJedi

[Siege40]

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

[Bono]

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

Lots of use for it in the firefighting industry.

[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.

[CheeseWhiz]

I urge all Senators to vote against this bill.

[MasterJedi]

I urge all Senators to vote against this bill.

I'd like to know why?

[CheeseWhiz]

I urge all Senators to vote against this bill.

I'd like to know why?

I’m probably alone in this, but do you know how many things are thought to cause cancer?  Everything supposedly causes cancer, so I really don’t see why we should use that as a reason to outright ban something.  Besides, as long as it is properly insulated and there is a warning sign, then everybody’s safe, right?  I think they should make up their own minds about whether it’s safe to use or not; not the Feds.

[Ebowed]

Senators and the Vice President,

I rise in opposition of this legislation, the Asbestos Ban Bill.  It is fascist and authoritarian legislation.  This bill is like someone saying, "Fire burns people; let's ban fire!"  Just because something can have bad side effects, that does not mean it is inherently bad, and that certainly does not mean it should be banned.  I'd like to say that federal bans are not the answer to this problem, which is not as simple as the bill makes it out to be.

Wet asbestos cannot be matched as a fireproofing material.  Lives could be saved if insulated asbestos were used in builidings where fires occur often.  And there is no proof that asbestos, when insulated, causes any harm to human health.  This ban is far-reaching and simplistic, and I urge the Senate to defeat it at all costs.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

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?

[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.

[Ebowed]

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.

Not to minimize your loss, but so do I.  That does not stop me from keeping to my principles and opposing any sort of bill that imposes an authoritarian ban on something that did not need to be banned.

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.

Insulated asbestos does not harm human health and is unmatched as a fireproofing material.

If this Senate cannot pass a simple public health measure then what the hell is it good for?

This is not a public health measure, it is an unnecessary ban on a material.

[Platypus]

I have no problem with a ban on Asbestos; in my view the benefits do not outweigh the negative consequences of asbestos use. But this bill is ill-prepared.

ban on importation-fine, and sensible.
ban on exportation-if a nation wants to buy it, and we have the ability to sell it, fine with me; but I would FIRMLY suggest a ban on mining, which would have basically the same effect after a short while.
transportation-that's just silly. How can asbestos be removed if it isn't trasnported? Either scrap that, or modify it to 'ban on transportation without permit' or something.
sale of asbestos-does this include sales overseas?
products that use asbestos-change it to 'ban on use of asbestos in the construction of products', or something.

Whilst I support a ban on asbestos, this bill is not nearly good enough. I ask my senators to either attempt to amend it significantly or vote against it.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I have no problem with a ban on Asbestos; in my view the benefits do not outweigh the negative consequences of asbestos use. But this bill is ill-prepared.

ban on importation-fine, and sensible.
ban on exportation-if a nation wants to buy it, and we have the ability to sell it, fine with me; but I would FIRMLY suggest a ban on mining, which would have basically the same effect after a short while.
transportation-that's just silly. How can asbestos be removed if it isn't trasnported? Either scrap that, or modify it to 'ban on transportation without permit' or something.
sale of asbestos-does this include sales overseas?
products that use asbestos-change it to 'ban on use of asbestos in the construction of products', or something.

Whilst I support a ban on asbestos, this bill is not nearly good enough. I ask my senators to either attempt to amend it significantly or vote against it.

Some good ideas there actually

[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. 

[jokerman]

There's a lot of products that have forms of Asbestos that have absolutely no possibility of getting into the air and potentially causing cancer.  This is a really bad bill.

[MasterJedi]

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

[CheeseWhiz]

According to your article many fiberglass products, glass, stone wool, wollastonite, cotton fibers, cellulose fibers, para-aramid fiber and polyvinylalcohol fiber can be dangerous to your health, should we ban them all?  I don’t even see a substitute for asbestos in that article.  Should it really be up to the Government to tell us what is safe enough for us to use and what is not?  Besides, look at the point Senator Ebowed made:

Wet asbestos cannot be matched as a fireproofing material.  Lives could be saved if insulated asbestos were used in builidings where fires occur often.  And there is no proof that asbestos, when insulated, causes any harm to human health.  This ban is far-reaching and simplistic, and I urge the Senate to defeat it at all costs.

Think about it, you could just be replacing one form of death with another.  Asbestos may cause cancer, but it does protect us from fire.

[jokerman]

I would prefer that the author do a bit more research and propose to ban the types of asbestos that are dangerous to human health rather than just a blanket ban.  As I said before, there are some forms of abestos that are completely harmless.

[Ebowed]

As I said before, there are some forms of abestos that are completely harmless.

Yes, such as asbestos that is insulated.  Excellent fireproof; no harm to human health.  If you want to put people in danger, pass the bill.

[Ebowed]

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.
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. 

I don't think we should ban any of those things.  I will vote against the amendment and if the amendment passes, the bill.

Regarding Section 3, how exactly would one go about obtaining this special permit?

[Platypus]

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.
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. 

I don't think we should ban any of those things.  I will vote against the amendment and if the amendment passes, the bill.

Regarding Section 3, how exactly would one go about obtaining this special permit?

I would suggest this would be a regional issue, but the issuing of permits could be upon liscence as an official asbestos handler, regulating the industry.

I never expected my idea to be taken up semi-verbatim, I just wanted to poinjt out flaws wth the original bill. I think it is importantr the senate further this debate, significantly; I think the revised bill is a vast improvement however.

[CheeseWhiz]

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.
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. 

I don't think we should ban any of those things.  I will vote against the amendment and if the amendment passes, the bill.

Regarding Section 3, how exactly would one go about obtaining this special permit?

Well, I agree with you, but this is a slight improvement over the original bill, therefore receives my support as an amendment, but my definite opposition as a bill.

[Ebowed]

No; if the amendment passes, then the final passage of the bill will be easier.  Hence, I oppose the amendment.

[CheeseWhiz]

No; if the amendment passes, then the final passage of the bill will be easier.  Hence, I oppose the amendment.

Good point.

[Emsworth]

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. 

The question is on the above amendment. All those in favor, say Aye; those opposed, say No.