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4 May, 1999European Union votes for EU-wide ban on chrysotile.
EUROPEAN UNION: On May 4, the Technical Committee of the European Union voted for an EU-wide ban on chrysotile, or white asbestos. It is expected that the EU Commissioners will adopt this directive in the next few weeks, thus phasing out the use and sale of chrysotile and chrysotile-containing products (with a few derogations) in the European Union.
A spokesperson for the United Kingdom's Health and Safety Executive stated that "this vote enables member states to bring in bans earlier than 2005. This is the U.K.'s intention."