PRESS RELEASE: Asbestos Disease Awareness Org. President Commends the EPA For Taking Life-Saving Action by Prioritizing Asbestos Regulation Under the Lautenberg Act

Asbestos Disease Awareness Org. President Commends the EPA For Taking Life-Saving Action by Prioritizing Asbestos Regulation Under the Lautenberg Act

Prioritizing Asbestos on the Top 10 List of High-Risk Chemicals Signals the EPA’s Commitment to Protecting Public Health and the Environment

WASHINGTON – The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), which serves as a global leader in ending asbestos exposure through education, advocacy, and community; today issued the following statement from ADAO President and Co-Founder Linda Reinstein in support of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to prioritize asbestos as a top 10 high-risk chemical for evaluation and regulatory action under the Lautenberg Act:

“The EPA made a life-saving decision today by including asbestos in the first round of chemicals as a top 10 to be regulated under the Lautenberg Act. For decades the asbestos industry and our government have known asbestos is a carcinogen that kills as many as 15,000 Americans every year, yet to this day asbestos remains legal in the United States and imports continue, threatening not only the lives of Americans, but also the lives of the asbestos miners in Brazil and other developing nations. The inclusion of asbestos as a top 10 high-risk chemical signals the EPA’s commitment to protecting Americans from this and other deadly toxins and sets the stage for future environmental protection efforts. For far too long, the chemical industry has been allowed to put our families at risk in the name of profit, but today we are a crucial step closer to ending the litany of preventable deaths caused by asbestos exposure.

“ADAO has been fighting this David vs. Goliath battle for 13 years, going toe-to-toe with deep-pocketed lobbyists. Despite asbestos being the Congressional poster child for the need to reform our nation’s toxic chemical laws, the industry continued to peddle its junk science and argue for its use in our country. Fortunately, we had something more powerful than money on our side: the truth. We are thankful to the EPA staff, members of Congress and their staff, asbestos victims, and ADAO volunteers who spent countless hours fighting for legislation that would protect the public from asbestos. While this victory is rightfully shared by many stakeholders, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and her tireless, ferocious staff deserve special recognition.

“I look forward to a future where one day, asbestos exposure will be a thing of the past. As we celebrate this historic moment, the ADAO team renews our dedication to see this legislation through to regulation and, eventually, a full federal ban.”

# # #

About the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization
The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) is a global leader in combining education, advocacy, and community initiatives to prevent and end asbestos exposure. ADAO seeks to raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos, advocate for an asbestos ban, and protect asbestos victims’ civil rights.  For more information, visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org. ADAO, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, does not make legal referrals.