Posted on Friday, December 20, 2019
This past year has been incredibly influential for the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO). We won legal battles against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), watched the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019 (ARBAN) move through the U.S. House of Representatives with bipartisan support, led educational functions and Congressional briefings, and through it all, documented our highs and lows with blog posts. 
Below are the top ten stories of this year. We hope you’ll join us for more big moments in 2020, as we fight to ban asbestos in the United States for once and for all!
30 Years Later: ADAO published our report “EPA’s Failure to Ban Asbestos: The Impact from 1989 – 2019 on Public Health, Environment, and the Economy” which is a compilation of historical facts, new data, the latest policy efforts, and hard-hitting truths all Americans should know about asbestos prevention and policy.
Need To Know: We partnered with Firdaus Kharas and produced the PSA Video titled “What the Merchants of Death Won’t Tell You: The Irrefutable Facts about Asbestos” in order to raise awareness about the undeniable asbestos facts.
The Truth About Talc: What is talc? Why has it been found in products like Johnson & Johnson baby powder? And what is the difference between talc and asbestos? This blog answered all these important questions and pointed the way towards bills currently underway in the House of Representatives that will address the danger of talc, while ARBAN directly addresses asbestos.
Art, Advocacy and Academia: We took our work to George Washington University, Dalla Lana University, American University, and Mount Sinai Hospital. But even more than that, we spoke at conferences around the world, from South Africa to Canada. Our community is ever-going.
Unearthing the Truth: PBS NewsHour aired “The stunning truth about asbestos use in the U.S.” video and ADAO was mentioned.
Challenging the EPA: ADAO took the EPA to court to push them to take regulatory action and had two legal victories.
Making Moves: The bicameral Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019 (ARBAN) (H.R. 1603) passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce with a record vote of 47-1, and now moves to the House floor for a full vote
Annual Conference: ADAO held our 15th Anniversary Asbestos Awareness and Prevention Conference.
Marching for Meaning: ADAO held our first ever March for Justice and Remembrance in Washington D.C. to deliver a strong message to lawmakers: it’s time to ban this carcinogen once and for all.
Year-End Review: This year-end summary of our accomplishments, including our education, advocacy, and community impact in 2019, helps remind us why we all work so hard. As a leader in public health advocacy, we are on the front lines working to end the man-made asbestos disaster on many levels.
Thank you for your support. You have proven that together we can make a difference.
Linda Reinstein