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Interesting point made in other threads is whether the trade war would reduce pollution. There is, theoretically, an opportunity. As supply lines move away fro

by zwaps 7y ago

Interesting point made in other threads is whether the trade war would reduce pollution. There is, theoretically, an opportunity. As supply lines move away from China to other SE Asian countries, Western countries could make environmental standards a requirement for trade. In new facilities, say in Vietnam, one could try to start with a blank slate. Since its new, prices likely would not rise much more than they would anyway. But of course, Trump.

makomk 7y ago
It wouldn't matter how sensible the environmental standards were, because the Trump administration was making them. For instance, a year or so ago the EPA placed heavy new restrictions on asbestos, all-but-banning most of the previously legal uses by requiring manufacturers and importers to prove their safety to the EPA's satisfaction and indicating that wouldn't be possible. (They couldn't just outright ban them.) This is how you'd have seen this action described if you found out about it from HN: "EPA is allowing asbestos back into manufacturing". Now, this was of course completely untrue. Prior to the rule, companies were allowed to import, manufacture and sell every asbestos-containing product covered by it whenever they liked, without any EPA approval. The new rule replaced that free-for-all with an intentionally hostile approval process where companies had to convince a skeptical EPA that actually, asbestos was safe before they started manufacture or import and wait for them to complete their risk assessment (which they've indicated will probably be "fuck no" in all circumstances). Anyone who read the notice or researched the status quo should've know that. It also wasn't particularly suprising; it was the culmination of a years-long process that started under the previous administration, and it ended in about the toughest restrictions they could legally place. It didn't matter, though, because it fitted into the correct narrative about the current administration - and this was a restriction on a really unsafe substance that was in the pipeline for years and didn't even have anything to with Trump or his trade war.
- HillaryBriss 7y ago
  i'm against the use of asbestos and have been for years, but my understanding has been that the fear of lawsuit has been an effective force preventing companies from introducing additional uses of asbestos in recent decades. most manufacturers were already avoiding the use of asbestos in their products like the plague. in any case, i don't think federal regulators had sufficient legal authority to actually ban it. but, I think the way the press is handling this is interesting and I'm glad you highlighted it. when I searched for "epa asbestos rule" I found about 10 articles stating that the EPA was ignoring its own scientists in issuing its latest ruling about the use of asbestos in products. but I also found this recent headline on CNN: "EPA announces nearly complete ban on asbestos," which seems to have happened in response to earlier criticism. or something: https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/17/politics/epa-asbestos/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/17/politics/epa-asbestos/index.h... it does make it a bit difficult to figure out what is going on and whether or not this administration is actually pro or con. IDK.

by zwaps 7y ago

makomk 7y ago

It wouldn't matter how sensible the environmental standards were, because the Trump administration was making them. For instance, a year or so ago the EPA placed heavy new restrictions on asbestos, all-but-banning most of the previously legal uses by requiring manufacturers and importers to prove their safety to the EPA's satisfaction and indicating that wouldn't be possible. (They couldn't just outright ban them.) This is how you'd have seen this action described if you found out about it from HN: "EPA is allowing asbestos back into manufacturing". Now, this was of course completely untrue. Prior to the rule, companies were allowed to import, manufacture and sell every asbestos-containing product covered by it whenever they liked, without any EPA approval. The new rule replaced that free-for-all with an intentionally hostile approval process where companies had to convince a skeptical EPA that actually, asbestos was safe before they started manufacture or import and wait for them to complete their risk assessment (which they've indicated will probably be "fuck no" in all circumstances). Anyone who read the notice or researched the status quo should've know that. It also wasn't particularly suprising; it was the culmination of a years-long process that started under the previous administration, and it ended in about the toughest restrictions they could legally place. It didn't matter, though, because it fitted into the correct narrative about the current administration - and this was a restriction on a really unsafe substance that was in the pipeline for years and didn't even have anything to with Trump or his trade war.

HillaryBriss 7y ago
i'm against the use of asbestos and have been for years, but my understanding has been that the fear of lawsuit has been an effective force preventing companies from introducing additional uses of asbestos in recent decades. most manufacturers were already avoiding the use of asbestos in their products like the plague. in any case, i don't think federal regulators had sufficient legal authority to actually ban it. but, I think the way the press is handling this is interesting and I'm glad you highlighted it. when I searched for "epa asbestos rule" I found about 10 articles stating that the EPA was ignoring its own scientists in issuing its latest ruling about the use of asbestos in products. but I also found this recent headline on CNN: "EPA announces nearly complete ban on asbestos," which seems to have happened in response to earlier criticism. or something: https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/17/politics/epa-asbestos/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/17/politics/epa-asbestos/index.h... it does make it a bit difficult to figure out what is going on and whether or not this administration is actually pro or con. IDK.