A campaign by trades unions, hazards activists and the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat ended in success on 24 November 1999 with the introduction of a UK ban on the importation, sale or use of asbestos products. This made the UK the 10^th European Union country to implement a ban, ahead of a January 2005 EU-wide deadline. A World Trade Organisation to the European Union ban was dismissed.

Asbestos (Prohibitions) (Amendment) Regulations 1999, Statutory Instrument SI 1999 No.2373. International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS).