Posted September 25th

Every 13 minutes, an American dies from an asbestos-related disease. These deaths are entirely preventable, yet they continue to happen, devastating families and communities nationwide.

This Mesothelioma Awareness Day, ADAO is launching Every13Minutes.org to illustrate the impact of the ongoing asbestos crisis in America. In conjunction with our newly published book, Shared Stories: How Asbestos Changed Our Lives Forever, Every13Minutes.org offers a data-driven counterpart to the deeply personal narratives of asbestos victims and their families.

Asbestos exposure continues to be a public health crisis. A March 2024 rule from the EPA bans only one asbestos fiber type under limited conditions, and more action is needed to ban all forms of asbestos. Every13Minutes.org breaks down the devastating impact asbestos continues to have on public health and private individuals.

Nearly 40,000 Americans die every year from asbestos-caused disease — which means every 13 minutes, we lose someone because of this deadly chemical. And this pain and suffering is exacerbated by the crushing financial toll on the victim’s loved ones.

Despite these alarming statistics, asbestos imports have persisted, with 17,535 metric tons entering the U.S. from 2004 to 2024. The United States remains the only Western industrialized nation yet to completely ban asbestos, while nearly 70 countries have already taken this critical step.

This ongoing crisis is why the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now (ARBAN) Act is vital—it proposes a comprehensive ban on all forms of asbestos in all conditions of use, finally addressing the full scope of asbestos exposure risks.

By pairing personal stories from our Share Your Story campaign with Every13Minutes.org, we aim to humanize the data and provide a more holistic view of the asbestos epidemic. Together, these two resources foster greater awareness, compassion, and urgency for policymakers and the public alike. The message is clear: with each passing moment, another innocent life is lost. It’s time to take action.

Join us in our prevention and policy efforts to eliminate all asbestos-caused diseases by sharing your story or visiting and sharing Every13Minutes.org.