Posted on July 22, 2015

Asbestos in Toys 2000 2015 (2)Asbestos is a known human carcinogen that kills up to 15,000 Americans every year from asbestos-related diseases, yet it has not been banned by the U.S. government and is still legal and lethal in our country.

Since the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO)’s was formed in 2004, we have used education, advocacy, and community support initiatives to prevent asbestos exposure and ensure justice for asbestos victims. Unfortunately, the U.S. legislative system has repeatedly failed to ban asbestos. Consequently, products containing asbestos continue to be sold to America consumers without their knowledge, and there are significant resulting costs to individuals and society as a whole. ADAO’s new infographic highlights some of the legislative costs of inaction.

Between 2000 and 2015, the U.S. consumed 55,000 metric tons of asbestos, and – as a result – 150,000 Americans died from preventable, asbestos-related deaths. During this same time period, three product tests found asbestos contamination in various consumer products, children’s toys, and crayons (2000, 2007, and 2015). ADAO personally delivered the results of our independent 2007 study confirming the presence of asbestos in toys to Congress, but nothing was or has been done about it. Inexplicably, over the last 15 years, 19 pro-asbestos industry bills were introduced in Congress (all by Republicans) compared to 7 ban-asbestos bills (all by Democrats). This is why we have sent letters to all members of the Senate urging them to support reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) if and only if the legislation ensures that the EPA has the ability, and the mandate, to address and regulate asbestos.  Please view and share ADAO’s letter here.

ADAO also supports the Reducing Exposure to Asbestos Database Act (READ) (S.700 and H.R. 2030), which would create a federally controlled database listing products that contain asbestos, therefore allowing for publicly accessible and understandable asbestos prevention information. Until legislation is passed to protect the American consumer from asbestos exposure, our only option is costly independent product testing.

This summer is the “Summer of Sharing.” Please share this infographic with your friends, family, and colleagues and be a part of the prevention necessary to save lives. As ADAO always says, “Hear Asbestos. Think Prevention.”

Together, we make change happen.

Linda

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