On June 10, 2010, ADAO submitted a coalition letter to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce requesting expedited action for chemical substances with documented risks, such as asbestos, to forgo the unnecessary 12 month risk assessment. The request, supported by 11 organizations, would allow the EPA Administrator to proceed immediately to prohibit the importation, manufacturing, processing, and commercial distribution of asbestos-containing products in the United States.
Support on this issue comes from:
- Linda Reinstein, CEO and Co-Founder, Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization
- Arthur L. Frank, MD, PhD., Professor, Chair, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University, School of Public Health, ADAO Science Advisory Co-Chairman
- Richard A. Lemen, Ph.D., Assistant Surgeon General, United States Public Health Service (Ret.), ADAO Science Advisory Co-Chairman
- Peg Seminario, Director, Safety and Health, AFL-CIO
- Brent Kynoch, Managing Director, Environmental Information Association
- Ken Cook, President, Environmental Working Group
- TC McNamara, Founder, John McNamara Foundation
- Terry Lynch, International Vice President, Health Hazard Administrator, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers (formerly Asbestos Workers Union)
- Laurie Kazan-Allen, Coordinator, International Ban Asbestos Secretariat
- Laurie Fenton Ambrose, President & CEO, Lung Cancer Alliance
- Kathleen Wiedemer, Interim Executive Director, Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation
- Andy Igrejas, Director, Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families
View the coalition letter.
View the House discussion draft.
On April 15, 2010, Rep. Bobby L. Rush, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection, and Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, released a discussion draft of legislation to revise the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the primary statute governing the safety of chemicals in commerce, which has not been updated since its enactment in 1976.
“For decades, Congress has been told that the Toxic Substances Control Act is failing its mission and is in desperate need of reform,” said Chairman Waxman. “In order to protect all Americans from toxic exposures and the adverse effects they cause, Congress must strengthen this failing law.”
ADAO applauds the leadership of Chairman Waxman and Chairman Rush. We look forward to continued movement on this important legislation.
