BUFFALO, N.Y. — In early March, the United States Environmental Protection Agency announced a comprehensive ban on chrysotile asbestos, a mineral fiber found in rocks and soil that is toxic when exposed to lungs.  

It could even cause lung cancer, mesothelioma or ovarian cancer.  

While one might first think of this ruling’s impact on the construction industry, it could also change the car manufacturing and service industry.  

The mineral was used frequently in the automobile industry from the 1900s to the 1980s.

“Asbestos is pretty much a particle that holds up friction. It’s mainly found on components on the vehicle that can tolerate high friction and high heat,” said Jackeline Martinez, service and sales, RDA Buffalo.

Martinez and Jordan Ulette oversee service at RDA Buffalo. Ulette says the parts of the cars that potentially have asbestos are clutches, brakes and gaskets.

“So when the brake is compressing, it's not going to cause any problems that could be causing a flame or anything like that,” he said. “When you use it on something like a gasket, you're using it. So when you're sealing those two parts together and the gasket is in between it, nothing's going to be getting damaged. And that's going to be able to be durable enough to withstand whatever the car is doing and you know, its performance.”

The EPA says you can’t tell if brakes or clutches contain asbestos. Newer vehicles and parts may be able to tell you the components, but for older vehicles, it’s harder. Still, the new comprehensive ban gives those in the car service industry hope.  

“Now that they actually are taking action against it, it's really big because, you know, obviously knowing somebody or working in this industry, you don't want to have zero chance of being able to avoid something like that,” said Ulette. “It's almost like just telling you, ‘yeah, you're going to have cancer at some point,’ or, ‘you have a very high risk of having cancer, mesothelioma.’ Whatever you want to call it.”

“There's so many moving parts in this industry,” said Martinez. “So you don't only have mechanics, you have retailers, you have service providers, and you have salesmen that are walking through. You have customers as well.”