Posted on August 31, 2012

Today, in the city of Brasília, over 120 people filled the Brazilian Supreme Federal courtroom. For seven hours, the Court held their final public hearing to review the constitutionality of the state of São Paulo’s law that prohibits the use of asbestos. Carlos Ayres Britto, Chief Justice of the Brazilian Supreme Court, and two other justices listened intently as 18 witnesses presented both written and oral testimony. The witnesses included both experts opposed to                 Castleman, Reinstein, Frank, and Giannasi  asbestos use and representatives of the asbestos industry.

I was honored to be invited to attend this monumental hearing, and I feel exceptionally positive about the proceedings. ADAO congratulates and thanks everyone who tirelessly worked to expose the lies that the asbestos industry stated in court. Dr. Barry Castleman, Dr. Arthur Frank, and Fernanda Giannasi impressively presented the truth about the horrific consequences of asbestos use. They cogently argued that the exorbitant social and economic cost of asbestos use warrants a ban of all asbestos; asbestos simply should not be produced nor exported. Another exceptional court witness was Doracy Maggion, who contracted asbestosis as a result of working at an Eternit factory in Brazil for about two decades. In a heartbreaking moment, Mr. Maggion explained to the court, “I have two stones for lungs.”

ADAO also thanks Marc Hindry of the French National Association of Asbestos Victims (ANDEVA), who attended both today’s hearing and the August 24th hearing and brilliantly reported on the details of the proceedings for the benefit of those who could not travel to Brasília. Finally, we are extraordinarily grateful to ABREA (The Brazilian Association of People Exposed to Asbestos), who worked tenaciously to organize the entire effort of bringing together the anti-asbestos community to participate in the hearings.

We will not know the Court’s verdict until at least October. However, we do know that the truth speaks for itself. And because more and more people are learning the truth about the deadly legacy of asbestos, the asbestos industry is struggling to maintain its influence and circulate its propaganda. In February, the Turin court in Italy convicted Eternit’s executives. Today in Brasília, several outstanding experts decisively demonstrated that asbestos use is lethal. Slowly but surely, our voices are being heard around the world!

Together, change is possible.

In unity,

Linda

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CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT BRAZIL’S SUPREME COURT HEARING