ASBESTOS DISEASE AWARENESS ORGANIZATION APPLAUDS THE BICAMERAL INTRODUCTION OF THE ALAN REINSTEIN BAN ASBESTOS NOW ACT

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, March 30, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- THE ASBESTOS DISEASE AWARENESS ORGANIZATION APPLAUDS THE BICAMERAL INTRODUCTION OF THE ALAN REINSTEIN BAN ASBESTOS NOW ACT OF 2023

Bill Would Ban Commercial Asbestos Importation and Use Within One Year of Enactment

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), an independent nonprofit dedicated to preventing asbestos exposure, today applauds Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) for introducing the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now (ARBAN) Act of 2023.

“ARBAN will stop hundreds of tons of raw asbestos imports and asbestos-containing products from entering the United States. This long overdue legislation will protect all Americans — especially vulnerable workers, disadvantaged communities, consumers, first responders, and children—who are most at-risk from being exposed to this deadly carcinogen,” said Linda Reinstein ADAO President and widow to the bill’s namesake.

“ADAO applauds Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Suzanne Bonamici for their unwavering dedication, leadership and perseverance to protect Americans from deadly asbestos. Asbestos remains legal, lethal, and a far too common threat in the United States,” said Reinstein.

"With the passage of ARBAN, we will finally join the nearly 70 countries that have put public health over corporate profits and banned asbestos. It is alarming to know that every year more than 40,000 Americans die from asbestos-related illnesses. There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos, and we strongly urge Congress to take immediate action to put an end to these preventable deaths. We need comprehensive and lasting legislation that cannot be legally challenged or rolled back. It is time to prioritize public health and safety above all else," Reinstein concluded.

“Every day that goes by without an asbestos ban is another day that Americans’ health and lives are being put in grave danger,” said Senator Merkley. “Any expert will tell you there simply is no level of exposure to asbestos that is safe for the human body. We’ve known for generations that asbestos is lethal, yet the U.S. has continued to allow some industries to value profits over people. Meanwhile, most of the developed world – over 60 nations – has acted to protect citizens by banning the commercial use of asbestos. It’s long past time for America to end this dangerous public health threat, and I’ll continue to do all I can to get this bill passed.”

“It is unacceptable that the United States continues to allow the importation, manufacture, and distribution of asbestos—a known carcinogen that has killed too many people in our country,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “Workers, families, and communities must be protected against this deadly substance. I am reintroducing the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act with Senator Merkley to finally ban asbestos and to give some peace of mind to the families that have lost loved ones from asbestos-related diseases.”

The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act is comprehensive legislation that will:

1) Prohibit the importation and commercial use of all six asbestos fibers (chrysotile, crocidolite (riebeckite), amosite (cummingtonite-grunerite), anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite) as well as Libby Amphibole, winchite, and richerite.

2) Transition plants in the chlor-alkali industry using asbestos diaphragms to non-asbestos technology within two years.
Develop an educational outreach program to support full compliance with ARBAN.

3) Comprehensive legislation is needed to protect public health. Although a landmark step forward, EPA’s proposed chrysotile asbestos final rule only bans one fiber in six conditions of use.

The chlor-alkali industry is the sole importer of raw chrysotile asbestos, which is used to manufacture industrial chlorine and caustic soda. Recent investigations by ProPublica have exposed dangerous and irresponsible working conditions at these plants, putting workers and surrounding communities at tremendous risk of asbestos exposure. Since 2016, the chlor-alkali industry has reduced the number of plants dependent on asbestos from 17 to 6, demonstrating that using non-asbestos technology is not only possible, but also profitable and environmentally efficient.

The World Health Organization states, “All forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans. Exposure to asbestos, including chrysotile, causes cancer of the lung, larynx, and ovaries, and also mesothelioma (a cancer of the pleural and peritoneal linings). Asbestos exposure is also responsible for other diseases such as asbestosis (fibrosis of the lungs), and plaques, thickening and effusion in the pleura.”

ADAO applauds Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) for championing the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now (ARBAN) Act of 2023 and looks forward to working together to protect public health.

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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. ADAO, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, does not make legal referrals. For more information, visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org.

Tracy Russo
Asbestos Disease Awareness Org
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