For Immediate Release: April 27, 2016
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization Issues Statement for International Workers’ Memorial Day
Mourning Millions of Workers and Their Families Killed by Asbestos
Washington DC – April 27, 2016 – The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), which combines education, advocacy, and community to prevent exposure and ensure justice for asbestos victims, today issued the following statement from Linda Reinstein, mesothelioma widow and ADAO President and Co-Founder for International Workers’ Memorial Day.
“As we observe International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD), we somberly remember the millions of workers who have been injured or killed at work.
“Asbestos, a human carcinogen, remains the greatest single cause of work related deaths. Exposure can cause mesothelioma, lung, gastrointestinal, colorectal, laryngeal, and ovarian cancers; as well as non-malignant lung and pleural disorders.
“Asbestos remains legal and lethal in the United States today. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), ‘about 125 million people in the world are exposed to asbestos at the workplace” and “more than 107 000 deaths each year are attributable to occupational exposure to asbestos.’
“Congress has failed Americans by not passing legislation to ban asbestos, and instead, has allowed those who caused this man-made disaster to shirk their liability and responsibility to the sick and dying. Since the first IWMD in 1970, the United States has used over eight billion metric tons of asbestos and hundreds of thousands of Americans have died from preventable asbestos-caused diseases.
“While promising research continues, prevention remains the only cure. For each life lost, a shattered family is left behind. In the spirit of Mary Harris ‘Mother’ Jones, ‘Pray for the dead, and fight like hell for the living.’ Enough is enough.”
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About the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) was founded by asbestos victims and their families in 2004. ADAO is the largest non-profit in the U.S. dedicated to providing asbestos victims and concerned citizens with a united voice through our education, advocacy, and community initiatives. ADAO seeks to raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure, advocate for an asbestos ban, and protect asbestos victims’ civil rights. For more information, visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org.
Media Contact:
Kim Cecchini
Media Relations
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO)
(202) 391-5205
Kim@asbestosdiseaseawareness.org