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May 2, 2013: Let the Truth Be Told about Asbestos Abatement in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

April 25: Williamsburg Community and ADAO: Demanding Truth, Answers, and Transparency about Asbestos

April 17: AIR ASSAULT: Asbestos Puts Brooklyn Community on Edge 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 26, 2013 

Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) Presents to the Community of Williamsburg, Brooklyn in New York Calling for Safe Asbestos Abatement at Domino Sugar Refinery 

ADAO President and Co-Founder Linda Reinstein Joins Local Citizens Demanding Transparency around Asbestos Removal and Related Exposure, Creating a New Model of Action 

Brooklyn, NY – April 26, 2013 – The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) today announced that its Co-Founder and President, Linda Reinstein, will be among the presenters at a town hall meeting on April 29, 2013 at 6:30 pm in the neighborhood of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, NY. The meeting will focus on the need for increased transparency around asbestos abatement in the community, and reaffirm the need for a U.S. asbestos ban. Ms. Reinstein will be joined by Dr. Jay Parkinson, MD, MPH, Co-Founder of Sherpaa.

ADAO has been vigilantly following this community’s proactive awareness campaign since first learning about the potential asbestos threat due to asbestos abatement and demolition occurring in the neighborhood.  A recent blog entitled: Williamsburg Community and ADAO: Demanding Truth, Answers, and Transparency about Asbestos, affirms ADAO’s support of the community. The upcoming town hall meeting further reinforces this support and underscores the importance of awareness and education when it comes to asbestos abatement.

“The fact is that our nation’s infrastructure is aging, and wherever there are old factories, there is typically asbestos,” stated Ms. Reinstein. Asbestos fibers are released into the air when asbestos materials are disturbed during repairs, renovations, or demolition, and the removal of the asbestos in an improper manner can result in devastation for workers and the community.  Asbestos was especially prevalent in buildings up until the late 1970’s.

“The people in the Williamsburg community are surrounded by demolition and renovation of buildings putting them at a significant risk. The great news is that Williamsburg is building an effective model of action that can be emulated across the nation,” she stated.  The growing Williamsburg demographic includes young urban families in their 30s and 40s who are technologically savvy and heavily engaged with public health and safety issues. The awareness about asbestos abatement and other environmental issues represents a “shift to get back to the wholesome part of being an American, the way we once were, when we recognized how important community is,” concluded Reinstein.  “Too often community rights are usurped.  I see Williamsburg as empowering its residents with knowledge and organizing to protect public health and their environment.”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “If the asbestos-containing material is more than slightly damaged or could be disturbed, there are two types of actions that can be taken by trained and accredited asbestos professionals: repair and removal. Improper removal may actually increase your and your family’s exposure to asbestos fibers.” 

Town Hall Meeting Information:

Monday, April 29, 6:30 PM

PICTURE FARM

338 Wythe Avenue

Brooklyn, New York, 11211 

Free to the public

Asbestos is carcinogenic to humans in all forms according to the World Health Organization, and unsafe at any level of exposure according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Despite these facts, and a second Surgeon General warning of its hazards, asbestos continues to be imported to the U.S., as documented by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the need for a U.S. ban continues. In the U.S., ten thousand people die every year from asbestos exposure, equaling 30 deaths a day.

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About ADAO
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) was founded by asbestos victims and their families in 2004. ADAO seeks to give asbestos victims a united voice to help ensure that their rights are fairly represented and protected, and raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure and the often deadly asbestos-related diseases. ADAO is funded through voluntary contributions and staffed by volunteers. For more information, visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org.

Media Contact: Doug Larkin
Director of Communications
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO)
(202) 391-1546
doug@asbestosdiseaseawareness.org
www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org