PRESS RELEASE: ADAO APPLAUDS SENATORS TESTER AND DAINES FOR INTRODUCING THE 19TH RESOLUTION DESIGNATING APRIL 1-7 “NATIONAL #ASBESTOS AWARENESS WEEK.” Directs the U.S. Surgeon General to issue a warning to all Americans about the dangers of asbestos exposure.
Posted on March 29, 2024
TRANSLATIONS
Comunicado de prensa y video en Español
Communiqué de presse et vidéo en Français
हिंदी प्रेस विज्ञप्ति और वीडियो
Comunicado de imprensa e vídeo em Português
Российский пресс-релиз и видео
Türkçe Basın Bülteni ve Video
Український прес-реліз і відео
Join Us: Global Asbestos Awareness Week (April 1-7)
Welcome to the 20th Global Asbestos Awareness Week (GAAW)! The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is thrilled to spearhead this annual initiative, highlighting the urgent need to address asbestos exposure globally, sharing life-saving research about the known carcinogen, and uplifting those who are truly making a change. This year’s theme, “Asbestos: One word. One week. One world,” is a powerful reminder of how our collective efforts can confront this lurking threat.
Asbestos, a notorious carcinogen without a safe exposure level, claims over 200,000 lives worldwide each year. #2024GAAW is not just about raising awareness; it is a call to action and hope. We’re going multilingual this year, spreading our message and videos in seven languages—French, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, and Ukrainian—to ensure everyone is informed. We believe there should be no barrier to accessing information about asbestos’s dangers. Therefore, we have worked every year to translate our work into even more languages so our community can grow. Through advocacy and education, we aim to safeguard communities across the globe.
ADAO is excited to partner with the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) to develop educational prevention materials. Since our foundation in 2004, our collaboration with the U.S. Senate has led to remarkable milestones, including 19 Asbestos Awareness Week Resolutions and eight U.S. Surgeon General warnings. With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) recent ban on Chrysotile Asbestos in six conditions of use, we continue our push with the 2024 Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now (ARBAN) Act, comprehensive legislation to ban all fibers in all uses, and close the door to industry courtroom challenges.
Building on the strength and collaboration between our partners, this year’s GAAW will focus on:
- Banning the mining, manufacturing, and use of all six asbestos fibers around the world
- Preventing asbestos exposure
- Increasing compliance and enforcement of existing laws and regulations; and
- Strengthening international partnerships to protect public health
As IOSH shares, “We believe everyone must be protected from asbestos and urge widespread action on tackling the global death toll caused by work-related exposures.” Click here to view their detailed resource.
We’re in this together, and your voice is crucial. Share your story, send a letter to Congress, and become part of a community driving change.
A special thank you goes to our Platinum Sponsor, Simmons Hanly Conroy, LLP; Gold Sponsors, Gori Law Firm and Motley Rice LLC; and Silver Sponsor Early, Lucarelli, Sweeney & Meisenkothen, for their indispensable support in our awareness and prevention campaigns.
Global Asbestos Awareness Week Schedule:
Day ONE – April 1st: Asbestos: One Word. One Week. One World
Remembering Alan Reinstein (USA) — Read his story “I’ll Do Anything to Fight Mesothelioma to Have More Time with My Family, Anything”
Press Release: ADAO Launches 20th Annual “Global Asbestos Awareness Week” April 1-7, 2024
Leadership Quote from Patrick Morrison, International Association of Fire Fighter
Featured Video 30 second PSA: “Asbestos: The Killer You Can’t See”
Day TWO – April 2nd: World Health Organization Asbestos-Related Disease Fact Sheet
Featuring Julie (USA) – “The Power of Public Health Advocacy: A Patient’s Perspective”
Leadership Quote from Richard Lemen, Ph.D., MSPH, United States Assistant Surgeon General (retired) and ADAO Science Advisory Board Chairman
Press Release Hindi: एस्बेस्टॉस डिज़ीज़ अवेयरनेस आर्गेनाइजेशन (ADAO) ने 20वांवार्षिक “ग्लोबल एस्बेस्टॉस अवेयरनेस वीक” 1-7 अप्रैल, 2024 लांच किया
Featured Video 30 second PSA: “एस्बेस्टोस: द किलर आप देख नहीं सकते”
Day THREE – April 3rd: Asbestos: Art, Advocacy, and Action
Remembering Warren Zevon (USA) — Read his story “My Hero, the World’s Hero”
Leadership Quote from Arthur Frank, MD, PhD ADAO Science Advisory Board
Press Release Spanish: La «Organización de Concienciación sobre la Enfermedad del Amianto» (ADAO, por sus siglas en inglés) lanza su «20.a Semana Mundial de Concienciación sobre el Amianto» del 1 al 7 de abril del 2024
Featured Video: PSA 30 Second Video: “Asbesto: El asesino que no puedes ver”
Day FOUR – April 4th: Asbestos: Partnering for Prevention and Justice
Remembering Mike Mattmuller, (USA) — Read his story “Staying Positive”
Leadership Quote from Dr. Raja Flores, MD, Chair of Thoracic Surgery Mt. Sinai, & ADAO Science Advisory Board
Press Release Russian: Организация по информированию о заболеваниях, вызываемых асбестом, (ADAO) проводит 20-ю ежегодную «Всемирную неделю осведомленности об асбесте» с 1 по 7 апреля 2024 года
Featured Video 30 second PSA: “Асбест: убийца, которого вы не видите“
Day FIVE – April 5th: Global Action to Ban Asbestos in the USA and Around the World
Simon Pickvance (United Kingdom) -” The man who exposed how work can kill,”
Leadership Quote from Rory O’Neill, Hazards Magazine, UKPress Release Portuguese: A Organização de Consciencialização sobre a Asbestose (ADAO) Lança a 20.ª “Semana Global Anual de Consciencialização sobre o Amianto”, que terá lugar de 1 a 7 de abril de 2024
Featured Video 30 second PSA: “Amianto: O assassino que você não pode ver”
Day SIX – April 6th: Advancing Asbestos Prevention Through Digital Education and “kNØw Asbestos” Website
Featuring Sara (France) — Read her story: “Someone Pulled the Emergency Brake!”
Leadership Quote from Ruth Wilkinson, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, IOSH
Press Release French: L’ADAO (Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization) organise sa 20ème « Semaine annuelle de sensibilisation mondiale à l’amiante » du 1er au 7 avril 2024
Featured Video 30 second PSA: “L’amiante: le tueur que vous ne voyez pas”
Day SEVEN – April 7th: Candle Light Vigil to Honor and Remember Asbestos Victims Worldwide
Remembering Mavis, (UK) – ADAO Mourns the Loss of Mavis Nye, Extraordinary Friend and Mesothelioma Warrior
Leadership Quote from Kevin Bampton, British Occupational Hygiene Society
Press Release Turkish: ASBEST HASTALIĞI FARKINDALIK ÖRGÜTÜ TARAFINDAN 20. YILLIK “KÜRESEL ASBEST FARKINDALIK HAFTASI” 1-7 NİSAN 2024 TARİHİNDE BAŞLATILIYOR.
Press Release Ukrainian: 20-Й ЩОРІЧНИЙ «ВСЕСВІТНІЙ ТИЖДЕНЬ ПОІНФОРМОВАНОСТІ ПРО АЗБЕСТ», 1–7 КВІТНЯ 2024 РОКУ, ПРОВОДИТЬСЯ ОРГАНІЗАЦІЄЮ З ІНФОРМУВАННЯ ПРО ЗАХВОРЮВАННЯ, ЩО ВИКЛИКАЮТЬСЯ АЗБЕСТОМ
Featured Video 30 second PSA: Asbest: Göremediğiniz Katil (Turkish)
Featured Video 30 second PSA: Азбест: Вбивця, якого ви не бачите (Ukrainian)
Here’s to making #2024GAAW impactful and memorable. Know one should be exposed to asbestos due to lack of awareness and information. Together, we make change happen.
Linda Reinstein