Posted on September 25th, 2024
THIS MESOTHELIOMA AWARENESS DAY, PUBLIC HEALTH ADVOCATE AND LABOR UNION JOIN FORCES TO URGE CONGRESS TO BAN ASBESTOS
New Website Every13Minutes.org Highlights the Devastating Human Cost Of Asbestos-Related Diseases
WASHINGTON, DC – The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) and International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) have issued a joint letter to Congress in advance of Mesothelioma Awareness Day, September 26, 2024, calling for action on the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now (ARBAN) Act of 2024.
The coalition is also recognizing Mesothelioma Awareness Day by launching the “Every 13 Minutes” awareness campaign to emphasize the alarming reality that an American dies every 13 minutes from an asbestos-related disease. This new initiative is anchored by the official campaign website, Every13Minutes.org, and serves as a critical reminder of the urgent need to address this entirely preventable crisis.
Key statistics featured in the “Every 13 Minutes” campaign include:
- Nearly 90% of asbestos-related deaths in the U.S. are due to lung cancer.
- Globally, asbestos causes 255,000 deaths per year, with approximately 40,000 in the U.S. alone.
- Despite known dangers, over 17,500 metric tons of asbestos were imported into the U.S. between 2004 and 2024, making it the last Western industrialized nation that has not banned asbestos.
The “Every 13 Minutes” campaign complements ADAO’s newly released book: Shared Stories: How Asbestos Changed Our Lives Forever, which personalizes these sobering statistics by sharing stories from victims and families affected by asbestos-related diseases.
“Every 13 minutes, we lose someone to asbestos-caused disease in the United States. These diseases take an unimaginable toll on families across the country, yet they are entirely preventable. The ARBAN Act represents a clear path to ending this tragedy. There’s no reason to delay any longer. Congress must act now,” said Linda Reinstein, President and Co-Founder of ADAO.
The ARBAN Act (S.1069 and H.R.2402) is the most comprehensive bill put before Congress in over 30 years. It seeks to ban the manufacture, processing, and distribution of all forms of asbestos in the United States. This bipartisan legislation enjoys widespread support from advocacy organizations, including ADAO, IAFF, ACS CAN, and many others.
“Cancer is the single greatest threat to America’s fire fighters and the leading cause of death among our hometown heroes,” said Edward A. Kelly, General President of the IAFF. “Our fire fighters suffer from asbestos-caused cancers and diseases at more than twice the rate of the average American, and therefore, the IAFF is steadfastly supporting the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act (ARBAN).”
The full letter is below:
On behalf of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) and the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), we respectfully request your attention and support in recognizing Mesothelioma Awareness Day on September 26. This day is vital in raising awareness of the deadly consequences of asbestos exposure and advocating for much-needed policy changes to protect public health.
This year, in recognition of Mesothelioma Awareness Day, we are proud to introduce Every13Minutes.org, a powerful new campaign that highlights the human and financial toll of asbestos-related diseases. This campaign, which serves as a companion to our newly released book, Shared Stories: How Asbestos Changed Our Lives Forever, underscores the devastating reality that every 13 minutes, an American dies from an asbestos-related disease.
These deaths are not only tragic but entirely preventable.
The statistics are alarming:
- Nearly 90% of asbestos-related deaths in the U.S. each year are attributed to lung cancer.
- Globally, asbestos claims 255,000 lives each year, with nearly 40,000 of those deaths occurring in the U.S.
- Despite this ongoing crisis, 17,535 metric tons of asbestos were imported into the U.S. between 2004 and 2024, making our nation the last Western industrialized country that hasn’t fully banned asbestos.
This crisis underscores the urgent need to pass the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now (ARBAN) Act (S.1069 and H.R.2402). ARBAN would ban the manufacturing, processing, use, and distribution of all forms of asbestos in the United States. The legislation enjoys broad support from numerous organizations, including IAFF, ACS CAN, ADAO, the American Public Health Association (APHA), and, most importantly, the thousands of families affected by asbestos-related diseases.
We urge you to join us in recognizing Mesothelioma Awareness Day by supporting ARBAN and helping amplify the message that every 13 minutes, a life is lost due to inaction. Together, we can ensure that no other family will endure the preventable pain and loss caused by asbestos.
We invite you to visit Every13Minutes.org and share it with your constituents. Attached is a digital copy of the “Every 13 Minutes” infographic and a link to the Shared Stories book, which we hope will serve as a poignant reminder of the importance of this legislation.
Thank you for your continued commitment to public health and safety. We look forward to working with [OFFICIAL_TITLE_FULL] [OFFICIAL_LAST] and you to protect Americans from the ongoing threat of asbestos exposure.
Sincerely,
Greg Russell
Governmental Affairs Representative
International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)
Linda Reinstein
President and Cofounder
Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO)
