The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization Urges U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to Ban Deadly Asbestos

ADAO Calls on EPA to Deny Exemptions for the Chlor-Alkali Industry

For Immediate Release: May 30, 2017

WASHINGTON – May 30, 2017 – The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) an independent nonprofit dedicated to preventing asbestos exposure, released a statement from Co-Founder and President Linda Reinstein after meeting with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about implementing the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) reform:

“Our message was simple: scientific evidence confirms there is no safe use of asbestos. Therefore, EPA should reject any exemptions from asbestos regulations, including its major user the chlor-aklali industry. Each year, an estimated 15,000 Americans die from preventable asbestos-caused diseases.

“We are standing at the crossroads for change. Under TSCA, the EPA is now required to evaluate existing asbestos uses to determine whether it presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment. The EPA must fully understand the unreasonable risk of asbestos. which will confirm there should be no exemption for the chlor-alkali industry (CI) or any other industry.

“It is reprehensible that since the EPA’s first attempt to ban asbestos in 1989, an estimated 400,000 Americans have died from preventable asbestos-caused diseases. Yet, the U.S. continued to import more than 375,000 metric tons since then. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that in 2016, the CI was responsible for 100% of the asbestos consumption in the U.S.

“Since TSCA legislative discussions began, the American Chemistry Council (ACC), which lobbies on behalf of the CI, claims the industry safely uses asbestos. This assertion is contrary to the determination made in 1989 by EPA that there is no safe use of asbestos, and more recently reconfirmed by the leading scientific organizations, including the World Health Organization.

“We reiterate our grave concern about the appointment of Dr. Nancy Beck to lead the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention because her immediate past employment at the ACC and lobbying for the chlor-alkalki industry makes her unable to objectively and fairly implement TSCA reform.”

Participants at today’s EPA meeting were:

Liz Hitchcock, Government Affairs Director, Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families

Brent Kynoch, Managing Director, Environmental Information Association (EIA)

Richard Lemen, PhD, MSPH, Asst. U.S. Surgeon General (ret.)

Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH, American Public Health Association (APHA)

L. Christine Oliver, MD, MPH, MS, FACPM, Harvard Medical School

Linda Reinstein, President/CEO/Co-Founder, Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization

###

About the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is a global leader in combining education, advocacy, and community initiatives to prevent and end asbestos exposure. ADAO seeks to raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos, advocate for an asbestos ban, and protect asbestos victims’ civil rights. ADAO, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, does not make legal referrals. For more information, visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org.

 

Media Contact:

Sara Tiano

(310) 251-7477

Sara@asbestosdiseaseawareness.org