As you may be aware, asbestos has been used in many residential
construction materials/products. What you may not be aware of is that
asbestos is still imported and used in the United States. According
to the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. imported and used an estimated
1,820 tons of asbestos in 2007, an estimated 84% of which was used in
roofing materials. http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pu...2008-asbes.pdf

The U.S. House of Representatives is considering a bill to ban the
future importation and use of asbestos (it is already banned in 40
countries) and provide funding for medical research into effective
treatments for asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, a
cancer of the lining of the lungs, abdomen and heart. You can read
about the bill and ask your representative to support it at
http://www.banasbestos.us