Posted on April 29, 2020
Due to high demand, the press conference is now only open to government employees and credentialed journalists.
ADAO is please to host a press conference on Thursday, May 28 at 2:00 pm ET to discuss the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Draft Asbestos Risk Evaluation. Due to high demand, the press conference is now only open to government employees and credentialed journalists. Should you want to join, please register via this link.
For nearly four years, ADAO and other stakeholders have urged the EPA to use the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act to ban asbestos. The risks of asbestos have been well-documented since 1989, when the EPA initially banned the carcinogen. However, the ban was overturned in 1991 and under Trump’s EPA, our comments and docket submissions have fallen on deaf ears. This was made even more clear by the release of the draft evaluation, as there are numerous deadly exclusions in the risk evaluation, and the EPA originally tried to push through the risk evaluation during the coronavirus pandemic, when scientists and other experts have little time to give their opinions and suggestions.
Although there are many flaws in the industry friendly Draft Risk Evaluation, we plan to focus one the below six points:
- The draft evaluation does not address the risks of legacy asbestos products contained in millions of buildings across the US, despite a ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals last year that EPA is obligated to evaluate these risks.
- The evaluation only examines one type of asbestos fiber — chrysotile — while there are six recognized commercial asbestos fibers.
- EPA only looks at the risks of lung cancer and mesothelioma, and does not consider other types of cancer (ovarian and laryngeal), or serious non-cancer diseases (asbestosis) that are known to be caused by asbestos
- EPA has ignored the documented presence of asbestos contamination in talc-based crayons and other common consumer products to which infants and children are exposed.
- EPA has excluded all environmental pathways of exposure, including air emissions, contaminated waste, and drinking water contamination, further underestimating risk.
- EPA has excluded Libby Amphibole asbestos which is contained in attic insulation found in 15 – 30 million homes.
Experts include:
Barry Castleman, ScD
Penny Fenner-Crisp, PhD; Environmental Protection Network
Dr. Arthur Frank, MD, PhD
Liz Hitchcock; Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families
Brent Kynoch
Richard Lemen, MSPH, PhD
Jacqueline Moline, MD, M.S.c.
Celeste Monforton, MPH, DrPH, American Public Health Association
Patrick Morrison; International Association of Fire Fighters
Christine Oliver, MD, MPH, MS
Linda Reinstein
Robert Sussman, JD
We look forward to seeing you on the call. Together, we will make change happen.
Linda Reinstein
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Penelope Fenner-Crisp, PhD has 40+ years of experience in the preparation and management of assessments of chemical risks to human health and ecosystems. She held a number of senior scientist and senior management positions in the drinking water, chemicals and pesticides programs during 22 years at EPA. She has served on many WHO and OECD working groups, and NAS, FDA and EPA advisory panels. She has authored over 50 publications. Dr. Fenner-Crisp is a member of the EPA Alumni Association board and an active volunteer with EPN. Dr. Fenner-Crisp received a B.S. in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and an M.A. and PhD. in Pharmacology from the University of Texas Medical Branch, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Georgetown University.