Asbestos

US EPA Seeks Comment on Renewal of Asbestos-in-Schools and Accreditation ICR (Comments Due 22 June 2026)

In May 2026 the US Environmental Protection Agency opened a 30-day public comment period on renewing its information collection for the Asbestos-Containing Materials in Schools Rule and Asbestos Model Accreditation Plan, with comments due 22 June 2026. The renewal keeps existing asbestos inspection, management-plan and accreditation reporting burdens in place for school districts, training providers and state programmes, so affected organisations may wish to review EPA’s burden estimates and submit feedback before the deadline.

24 May 2026, 21:33federalregister.govUnited States

Netherlands Reports Q1 2026 Implementation Status of Key EU Chemicals and HSE Directives

In May 2026 the Dutch government reported Q1 2026 progress and delays in implementing several EU directives on waste electronics, RoHS lead exemptions, dangerous goods transport and asbestos exposure at work. These updates confirm retroactive and upcoming national measures and highlight infringement risks, signalling tighter compliance expectations for electronics, transport and construction supply chains in the Netherlands.

23 May 2026, 09:14zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nlNetherlandsEuropean Union

Connecticut Enacts Public Act 26-142 Updating Environmental Health, Drinking Water and Asbestos Abatement Rules (HB 5518)

Connecticut has enacted Public Act 26-142 (HB 5518), overhauling drinking water, bottled water, environmental laboratory and asbestos abatement rules, with most provisions taking effect from October 2026 and new PFAS and contaminant testing requirements for bottled water. The act strengthens certification and enforcement for laboratories and asbestos work, formalises subsurface sewage enforcement and water operator regimes, and signals higher compliance expectations for utilities, bottled water producers and remediation contractors in the state.

22 May 2026, 18:59cga.ct.govUnited States

MassDEP Fines Rowley Contractor $17,400 for Asbestos Violations at Northfield Energy Storage Facility

MassDEP has fined Rowley-based contractor NorthStar Demolition and Remediation, Inc. (Northeast Remediation) $17,400 for failing to follow required asbestos abatement practices at the Northfield Mountain energy storage facility, following inspections in November 2025. This enforcement underscores strict oversight of asbestos handling at industrial and energy sites in Massachusetts and signals ongoing liability for contractors that do not rigorously control worker and public exposure risks.

22 May 2026, 18:51mass.govUnited States

Rhode Island Senate S2885: Consideration Scheduled For Asbestos Abatement And Radon Control Bill

Rhode Island’s Senate bill S2885, which would update asbestos abatement and radon control provisions, has been scheduled for Senate Health and Human Services Committee consideration on 21 May 2026. This keeps the proposal active, and building owners, employers, and remediation contractors in Rhode Island should track the hearing and prepare for possible changes to how asbestos and radon risks must be managed.

22 May 2026, 16:48webserver.rilegislature.govUnited States

US DOJ Lodges Proposed CERCLA Consent Decree for Burley Demolition Asbestos Site in Idaho

In May 2026 the US Department of Justice lodged a proposed CERCLA consent decree for the Burley Demolition Asbestos Site in Idaho, requiring a $350,000 reimbursement of EPA’s past response costs and opening a 30-day public comment period. This site-specific asbestos enforcement action underscores ongoing CERCLA cost-recovery risk for owners and contractors at contaminated demolition sites, without altering the broader statutory framework.

22 May 2026, 16:46public-inspection.federalregister.govUnited States

Netherlands ILT Publishes 2025 Annual Report Highlighting Steel Slag, Unsafe E-Commerce Products and Environmental Crime

In May 2026 the Dutch Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate published its 2025 annual report, highlighting steel slag pollution, unsafe e-commerce products containing asbestos and lead, and major environmental crime cases involving industrial polluters and illegal plastic waste exports. The report signals ILT’s enforcement priorities and a shift toward signalling regulatory gaps, suggesting heightened scrutiny and potential future tightening of rules for hazardous waste, online product safety and high-impact industrial operators.

22 May 2026, 12:13ilent.nlNetherlands

Oregon DEQ Issues 10 Enforcement Actions in February 2026 for Environmental Violations

On 30 March 2026, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality announced 10 civil penalties totalling $145,903 for February 2026 environmental violations involving asbestos, hazardous waste, stormwater and water quality across the state. This enforcement pattern signals active oversight of waste and water compliance in Oregon, so operators should ensure asbestos handling, hazardous waste management and stormwater controls meet DEQ requirements to avoid similar penalties.

22 May 2026, 10:24apps.oregon.govUnited States

UK: OPSS Extends Wooden QIYI Sand Activity Toy Recall for Asbestos Risk to Amazon and TikTok

The UK Office for Product Safety and Standards has extended its asbestos-related recall of the Wooden QIYI Sand Activity Toy to cover TikTok sales and ensure listings are removed from Alibaba, Amazon and TikTok as of mid-May 2026. This widens enforcement across major online marketplaces and signals heightened scrutiny of asbestos contamination risks in imported children’s toys and similar products.

20 May 2026, 19:23gov.ukUnited Kingdom

UK OPSS Recalls Craft Time Sand Art Bracelets Over Asbestos Risk

In May 2026, the UK Office for Product Safety and Standards published a recall notice for Craft Time Sand Art Bracelets sold by Home Bargains after finding asbestos contamination in the coloured sand. The case highlights the need for retailers and importers of children’s craft toys to manage supply chain controls for banned substances like asbestos and to be ready to execute rapid withdrawals, refunds, and consumer guidance when contamination is detected.

20 May 2026, 19:21gov.ukUnited Kingdom

France Adopts Decree 2026-253 Updating Occupational Exposure Limits For Lead, Diisocyanates And Diesel Exhaust And Asbestos Monitoring Rules

France has adopted Decree 2026-253 implementing new EU-derived occupational exposure and biological limit values for lead, diisocyanates and diesel exhaust, while tightening labour-inspection powers and asbestos measurement reporting from 2026 onward. This materially raises chemical and HSE compliance expectations across French industry, requiring employers to update exposure controls, health surveillance and response procedures ahead of the 2029 diisocyanate and blood-lead deadlines.

20 May 2026, 17:51eur-lex.europa.euFrance

Croatia Amends Asbestos Health Surveillance Law To Transpose Updated EU Asbestos At Work Directive

Croatia has amended its asbestos health surveillance law to align national rules with the updated EU Asbestos at Work Directive, clarifying which asbestos fibre types are covered and expanding the list of recognised asbestos-related occupational diseases, with the changes entering into force in mid-May 2026. Employers with asbestos-exposed workers should anticipate tighter expectations around medical surveillance and potentially broader recognition of asbestos-related occupational disease claims, with further detail to follow once the health ministry updates the implementing ordinance within six months.

20 May 2026, 08:33eur-lex.europa.euCroatia

UK OPSS Recalls Grafix Make Your Own Sand Bottle (Star & Heart) Sold By Asda Over Asbestos Risk

On 18 May 2026, the UK Office for Product Safety and Standards published a recall of Grafix 'Make Your Own Sand Bottle (Star & Heart)' toy kits sold exclusively by Asda because the sand may be contaminated with asbestos under the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011. The case signals that retailers and brands must maintain strict supplier controls and testing for banned substances in children’s products to avoid sudden recalls, reputational damage and potential health risks.

20 May 2026, 06:47gov.ukUnited Kingdom

HSE Confirms Great Britain Asbestos Control Limit Remains 0.1 f/ml

In May 2026 the UK Health and Safety Executive confirmed, following an extensive evidence review, that Great Britain’s asbestos control limit will remain at 0.1 fibres per millilitre (4‑hour TWA) under the existing Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 framework. This signals continuity rather than tighter numeric limits, with HSE prioritising enforcement, training, and adherence to ALARP-based controls while monitoring the EU’s lower asbestos exposure limits and planned 2029 review for any future policy shifts.

20 May 2026, 06:22press.hse.gov.ukUnited Kingdom

Minnesota Senate Advances S.F. 4282 Expanding School Capital Uses To Asbestos and PCB Remediation

In May 2026, the Minnesota Senate advanced an education forecast adjustments bill (S.F. 4282) that would allow school districts to use total operating capital revenue for asbestos abatement, PCB cleanup, and fuel-storage remediation in school buildings starting with fiscal year 2027. If fully enacted, this would give facilities and EHS teams a dedicated, ongoing funding channel to tackle high-cost legacy contamination issues in K-12 schools, reducing health risks and future liability.

19 May 2026, 21:25senate.mnUnited States

Netherlands: Gelderland District Court Orders SVB To Reassess TSB Asbestos Lung Cancer Claim

In April 2026 the Gelderland District Court issued an interim ruling requiring the Dutch Social Insurance Bank to correct the inadequate reasoning behind a rejected asbestos-related lung cancer compensation claim under the TSB scheme, including how Protocol 2025 and the SYN-JEM exposure model were applied. This challenges the automatic use of SYN-JEM correction factors and signals that Dutch authorities must more carefully justify exposure calculations in TSB occupational disease cases, with potential implications for similar asbestos claims.

16 May 2026, 14:49uitspraken.rechtspraak.nlNetherlands

OPSS Publishes Guidance on Asbestos in Consumer Products

In May 2026, the UK Office for Product Safety and Standards issued new guidance for consumers, businesses and schools on recalling, testing and safely disposing of asbestos-contaminated sand-based consumer products. The guidance clarifies recall expectations, waste handling responsibilities and testing methods, and will inform recall planning, product testing strategies and waste contracts for retailers, importers and manufacturers handling sand-containing consumer products.

14 May 2026, 19:37gov.ukUnited Kingdom

Japan Pollution Health Damage Compensation Review Board Dismisses Six Appeals Under Pollution And Asbestos Health Damage Laws

In April 2026 Japan’s Pollution Health Damage Compensation Review Board dismissed six appeals under the pollution health damage and asbestos health damage relief laws, with the Ministry of the Environment publishing the outcomes in May. The rulings reinforce existing compensation criteria for Minamata disease and asbestos-related cases, signalling continued case-by-case scrutiny rather than expanded liability but underscoring ongoing exposure-related litigation risk in Japan.

14 May 2026, 12:26env.go.jpJapan

Spain: Galicia Advances Asbestos Removal Safety: Issga Reports 2,550 Work Plans (2022–2025)

In May 2026 the Xunta de Galicia’s occupational safety institute (Issga) reported that 2,550 asbestos-removal work plans approved between 2022 and 2025 oversaw more than 10,600 individual removal tasks across the region. This update signals sustained enforcement attention and on-site checking of asbestos work in Galicia, raising compliance expectations for companies involved in demolition, refurbishment, and other asbestos-removal projects.

13 May 2026, 19:03xunta.galSpain

UK OPSS Expands Recall of HGL Stretchy Sand Pig Toy Over Asbestos Risk

In April 2026 UK product safety regulators recalled the HGL Stretchy Sand Pig Toy after finding that the sand filling may be contaminated with asbestos, and in May 2026 they expanded the notice to include retailer Fenwick. This enforcement action signals heightened scrutiny of asbestos risks in consumer toys and requires manufacturers, importers, and retailers to identify any affected stock, coordinate recalls, and review controls on restricted substances in similar products.

12 May 2026, 15:09gov.ukUnited Kingdom