The Environmental Protection Agency announced a total ban on asbestos. The carcinogen had been largely prohibited in previous environmental orders, but chrysotile asbestos had been permitted until this latest ban and is used in a range of products, including brake linings, gaskets, and in chlorine bleach and sodium hydroxide production. It’s been found to cause lung cancer, mesothelioma and other cancers and is linked to over 40,000 U.S. deaths each year.