<P> Artificial Christmas snow, known as flocking, was previously made with asbestos . It was used as an effect in films including The Wizard of Oz and department store window displays and it was marketed for use in private homes under brand names that included "Pure White", "Snow Drift" and "White Magic". </P> <P> The use of asbestos in new construction projects has been banned for health and safety reasons in many developed countries or regions, including the European Union, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, and New Zealand . A notable exception is the United States, where asbestos continues to be used in construction such as cement asbestos pipes . The 5th Circuit Court prevented the EPA from banning asbestos in 1991 because EPA research showed the ban would cost between $450 and 800 million while only saving around 200 lives in a 13 - year timeframe, and that the EPA did not provide adequate evidence for the safety of alternative products . Until the mid-1980s, small amounts of white asbestos were used in the manufacture of Artex, a decorative stipple finish, however, some of the lesser - known suppliers of Artex were still adding white asbestos until 1999 . </P> <P> Prior to the ban, asbestos was widely used in the construction industry in thousands of materials . Some are judged to be more dangerous than others due to the amount of asbestos and the material's friable nature . Sprayed coatings, pipe insulation and Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB) are thought to be the most dangerous due to their high content of asbestos and friable nature . Many older buildings built before the late 1990s contain asbestos . In the United States, there is a minimum standard for asbestos surveys as described by ASTM Standard E 2356--04 . In the UK the Health and Safety Executive have issued guidance called HSG264 describing how surveys should be completed although other methods can be used if they can demonstrate they have met the regulations by other means . The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency includes some but not all asbestos - contaminated facilities on the Superfund National Priorities list (NPL). Renovation and demolition of asbestos - contaminated buildings is subject to EPA NESHAP and OSHA Regulations . Asbestos is not a material covered under CERCLA's innocent purchaser defense . In the UK, the removal and disposal of asbestos and of substances containing it are covered by the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 . </P> <P> U.S. asbestos consumption hit a peak of 804,000 tons in 1973; world asbestos demand peaked around 1977, with 25 countries producing nearly 4.8 million metric tons annually . </P>

Sbestos is commonly found in buildings and structures built before what year