Posted on August 31, 2020

ADAO Staff Briefing Video
ADAO Staff Briefing Executive Summary
ADAO Staff Briefing Presenter Biographies 
ADAO Staff Briefing PowerPoint

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) hosted our successful 15th Congressional Staff Briefing virtually on August 25, 2020. 

Our panel of experts for the briefing were: Barry Castleman, ScD; Lindsay Dahl, Beautycounter; Scott Faber, Environmental Working Group; Raja Flores, MD; Arthur L. Frank, MD, PhD; Liz Hitchcock, Safer Chemicals Healthy Families; Brent Kynoch, Environmental Information Association: Richard Lemen, PhD, MSPH; Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH, American Public Health Association; Linda Reinstein; and Robert Sussman, JD.

During the call, our panel of experts discussed: 

  • New study on racial disparities in treatment of mesothelioma
  • Impact of legacy asbestos in homes, schools, and buildings
  • Asbestos imports, use, and contamination in consumer products and cosmetics
  • Update on the legal case to compel the EPA to require industry to submit reports on asbestos under TSCA
  • Dangerously narrow and incomplete EPA Draft Risk Evaluation for Asbestos and EPA’s probable next steps
  • Need to enact the bicameral bipartisan Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act (ARBAN)

Each year, asbestos kills nearly 40,000 Americans, yet imports and use continues in the United States. Without a ban, asbestos can still be found in homes, schools, commercial buildings, work places, and consumer products. Asbestos-caused illnesses are 100 percent preventable, but most Americans do not know the danger of the carcinogen or even know that it is still being used in our country. 

In keeping with ADAO’s tradition, this briefing was dedicated to Mike Mattmuller, an amazing Mesothelioma Warrior, who passed away in April. Read more about Mike and his tenacity, courage, and dedication to his family here.

For briefing resources and asbestos information, please check out the Staff Briefing Resource Page. This was our first virtual briefing and we greatly appreciate everyone’s organization, support and time. Though the novel coronavirus pandemic has slowed the nation down, we have been working hard this summer, and hope to see those efforts pay off this fall. Thank you for standing by as we continue our fight to safeguard Americans’ health and well-being. It is beyond time for Congress to pass ARBAN, a bill that would save thousands of lives and ban asbestos once and for all. 

As Chairman Pallone stated: “It is now clear that this EPA has no intention of addressing this dangerous, proven carcinogen. Therefore, Congress must pass the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act and put an end to this public health threat once and for all.”

Together, we can make a difference. 

Linda Reinstein
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