How is Asbestos Used? and its History
More than 5,000 products and about 3,000 commercial products have contained or contain asbestos.  It was originally mined and used in North America starting in the late 1800s.  During World War II, (1941-1945), asbestos greatly increased in use.  People began using the mineral bundles in different industries.  In the building and construction industry they added asbestos fibers to strengthen the cement and plastic.  It was a great insulator, fireretardent, and was a sound absorber.  Other industries such as shipbuilding and automotive, asbestos was used.  They used it in insulating boilers, steampipes, and hot water pipes on ships.  Brakeshoes and clutch pads used asbestos in the automotive industry. 
* Asbestos cement sheet and pipe products used for water supply and sewage piping, roofing and siding, casings for electrical wires, fire protection material, electrical switchboards and components, and residential and industrial building materials;

* Friction products, such as clutch facings, brake linings for automobiles, gaskets, and industrial friction materials;

* Products containing asbestos paper, such as table pads and heat-protective mats, heat and electrical wire insulation, industrial filters for beverages, and underlying material for sheet flooring;

* Asbestos textile products, such as packing components, roofing materials, and heat- and fire-resistant fabrics (including blankets and curtains); and

* Other products, including ceiling and floor tile; gaskets and packings; paints, coatings, and adhesives; caulking and patching tape; artificial ashes and embers for use in gas-fired fireplaces; plastics; vermiculite-containing consumer garden products; and some talc-containing crayons.
After years of using this great natural product asbestos, people started realizing that it wasn't so great.  In the late 1970s, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) banned the use of asbestos in wallboard patching compounds and gas fireplaces because the asbestos fibers in these products could be released into the environment during use, see the health hazards page.  Then in 1989, the U.S. Environmental Protection Protection Agency (EPA) banned all new uses of asbestos.  But all uses established before 1989 were still allowed, but this was only alright because the EPA established regulations requiring school systems to inspect for damaged asbestos and eliminate or reduce the amount students were exposed by removing it. 
List of Regulations Governing Asbestos
TSCA
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) first authorized EPA to regulate asbestos in schools and Public and Commercial buildings under Title II of the law, also known as the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA).

AHERA
The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) requires Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to inspect their schools for asbestos-containing building material (ACBM) and prepare management plans to reduce the asbestos hazard. The Act also established a program for the training and accreditation of individuals performing certain types of asbestos work.  

ASHARA
The Asbestos School Hazard Abatement and Reauthorization Act (ASHARA) reauthorized AHERA and made some minor changes in the Act. It also reauthorized the Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act.

ASHAA
The Asbestos School Hazard Abatement Act (ASHAA) of 1984 provided loans and grants to help financially needy public and private schools correct serious asbestos hazards. This program was funded from 1985 until 1993. There have been no funds appropriated since that date.

CAA-Asbestos NESHAP
Pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1970, EPA established the Asbestos National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). It is intended to minimize the release of asbestos fibers during activities involving the handling of asbestos. It specifies work practices to be followed during renovation, demolition or other abatement activities when friable asbestos is involved.
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