Posted on June 30, 2025

 May 27, 2025: Addressing the Global Asbestos Crisis: Why Berlin’s Asbestonomy Conference Matters More Than Ever – ADAO

Uniting for Asbestos Prevention: Highlights and Timely Lessons from Asbestonomy 2025

T he 4th Annual Asbestonomy Conference, held June 24–25, 2025, in Berlin, brought together an extraordinary community of changemakers, united by one urgent goal: to prevent asbestos exposure and eliminate its devastating impact on human health. So much has happened since our 2025 blog on May 27th, “Addressing the Global Asbestos Crisis: Why Berlin’s Asbestonomy Conference Matters More Than Ever,” and the ever-changing news has made the conference and our discussions that much more important. 

With 17 speakers from six countries, this year’s conference was the largest and most globally diverse yet. From scientists and regulators to union leaders and nonprofit advocates, the sessions reflected a shared commitment to end the asbestos crisis through knowledge, policy, innovation, and collaboration.

I was honored to join this powerful community and present “More Than a Century of Asbestos: Why the U.S. Asbestos Crisis Isn’t Over,” a session that laid out how the United States continues to lag behind in asbestos regulation, still importing, with millions of tons of legacy asbestos in homes, schools, and public buildings. The recent June 16 EPA motion to the Fifth Circuit requesting 30 more months to reevaluate the Part 1 Chrysotile Rule is a glaring red flag. If granted, this delay risks placing the 2024 EPA rule on the same uncertain path as the failed 1989 asbestos ban. The science remains clear: Asbestos is a carcinogen that causes grueling and deadly illnesses, including asbestosis, mesothelioma, and cancers of the lung, larynx, and ovaries. There is no safe level of exposure, and this recent motion represents a huge step back in US policy.  

As I shared in my session, the U.S. situation isn’t just a regulatory failure but a human one. We lose one person every 13 minutes to an asbestos-caused disease. We must do better.

A Few Highlights from the 2025 Asbestonomy Conference:

  • European Commission Guidelines: Developed through broad stakeholder consultation for the safe management of asbestos at work. 
  • Portugal, France, and the UK spotlighted national strategies for legacy mitigation and future bans. 
  • Breakthroughs in AI-assisted asbestos detection and mechanized abatement systems were showcased. 
  • Two active working groups, Innovation and Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL), encouraged attendees to shape post-conference action plans. 

In Conversation: Conference Leadership Shares Reflections

I also had the pleasure of sitting down with Elise Bouthemy, Laurent Fenouil, and Philippe Dandelot to discuss the goals, progress, and vision behind Asbestonomy. Laurent Fenouil shared, “Asbestonomy was created as a space to bring together people who don’t usually sit at the same table. People with different lenses, different pressures, and different priorities. Collectively, we are the best ambassadors for sharing accurate information and bridging the gap between experts and non-experts. We must remember that our ultimate responsibility is not just to comply, but to protect people.” 

ADAO and Asbestonomy: Shared Mission, Shared Future

Like ADAO, Asbestonomy knows that the asbestos crisis spans science, policy, environmental justice, labor, and community health. Our missions powerfully align over a shared commitment to transparency, multilingual access, and actionable education. 

As I return home, I carry with me new knowledge, deeper alliances, and renewed resolve. The asbestos crisis is preventable. But only if we act boldly, globally, and now.

Thank you, Asbestonomy, for making Berlin a beacon of global solidarity and a catalyst for lasting change. Special thanks to Elise, Philippe, Laurent, and Malo for organizing a conference fueled by innovation, emerging trends, and meaningful collaboration.

Let’s not wait another year to take the next step. Let’s start now.

Linda Reinstein