FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 12, 2013
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization Outraged by Shortcomings of the Chemical Safety Improvement Act of 2013
S. 1009 Bill poses serious limitations in its current form
ADAO BLOG: Existing Chemical Safety Improvement Act (S. 1009) Fails to Protect Public Health
Los Angeles, CA – June 12, 2013 – The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), an independent non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating asbestos disease, stated today that it cannot support the “Chemical Safety Improvement Act of 2013” (S. 1009) without significant improvements to protect the public from dangerous chemicals, such as asbestos. While the chemical industry is pleased with the bill, ADAO and the majority of other environmental and public health groups do not support the current language.
“We are encouraged by bipartisan efforts to overhaul the outdated and ineffective Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) from 1976, but we cannot support it unless critical clarifications and changes are adopted,” said Linda Reinstein, ADAO Co-Founder and mesothelioma widow. “Asbestos victims are outraged to see ADAO’s suggested amendments regarding asbestos stripped from S. 1009. The facts are irrefutable – asbestos is a known carcinogen. Congress has known for more than 100 years that asbestos exposure causes diseases, yet exposure continues. ADAO urges Congress immediately amend S. 1009. One life lost from an asbestos-caused disease is tragic; hundreds of thousands of lives lost is unconscionable.”
ADAO wrote a letter voicing their concerns to Chairman of the Senate and Environment and Public Works Committee Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Sen. David Vitter, Ranking Member (R-LA). Additionally, this week, ADAO will launch their seventh “six-word quote campaign,” in which they invite asbestos disease patients and their families to write succinct messages to Congress about how asbestos has affected their lives. Past quotes submitted include “Asbestos has stolen my Dad’s life…stop the killing” and “Asbestos is a creeping thief – stealing families.”
“Mesothelioma victims are not statistics, we’re real people” said Janelle Bedel, a 37-year-old mesothelioma patient. “We need Congress to take action to prevent others from becoming sick from deadly preventable disease. However, if the legislation as currently written becomes law, future generations of Americans will fall victim to mesothelioma and other life-changing afflictions from exposure to dangerous chemicals. Americans need to know asbestos is deadly and has not been banned in the U.S. There are over 3,000 different asbestos-containing products that are still shipped to the U.S. every day.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that all forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans and may lead to mesothelioma, lung, larynx, ovarian cancer, and respiratory diseases. WHO estimates that 107,000 workers die every year from asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. Each day, 30 Americans die from asbestos-caused diseases.
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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