Uploaded byLinda Reinstein
2019 ADAO Congressional Staff Briefing
The document discusses the ongoing risks and health hazards associated with asbestos, emphasizing its presence in consumer products and the urgent need for legislative action to ban its use in the U.S. It highlights the alarming statistics on mesothelioma, particularly among firefighters and World Trade Center recovery workers, and mentions growing concerns related to asbestos contamination in various items. The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019 is presented as a crucial legislative response to address these risks and establish comprehensive regulations against asbestos.
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2019 ADAO Congressional Staff Briefing
- 1. LINDA REINSTEIN Asbestos DiseaseAwareness Organization (ADAO) President/ CEO and Co-Founder California Linda@adao.us
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- 5. • Executive Summary •Speaker Biographies • Constituents’ Stories • PowerPoint Presentations • ADAO Chlor-Alkali Report • Referenced Materials @Linda_ADAO
- 7. Legacy Asbestos inthe White House Photographer: Zach Gibson/ Bloomberg
- 12. U.S. SurgeonGeneral JeromeAdamsIssues the 2019 AsbestosAwarenessWeekWarning @Linda_ADAO
- 13. Mesothelioma Patient Diagnosed in2011 Mike Mattmuller
- 14. JUST A REGULARGUY diagnosed with Pleural Mesothelioma at the age of 29
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- 17. Fighting for Todayand the Future
- 18. Briefing Takeaways Iam the new face of mesothelioma patients, and I am only 37—with a baby girl. Asbestos is in children’s toys, cosmetics, and consumer products in the United States, confirmed by several independent investigations in 2000, 2007, 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2019.
- 19. Dr. Raja Flores Chairmanof the Department of Thoracic Surgery Mount Sinai School of Medicine
- 20. Source: IJERPH |Global Asbestos Disaster
- 23. 9/11 Aftermath World TradeCenter Health Program • 70,000+ WTC rescue/recovery workers & 17,000+ community members monitored and treated • Over 50% are afflicted with chronic, exposure-related conditions, which represents a 7% increase over last year • 1,387 have died since the program’s inception • New patients diagnosed with WTC-related cancer 10-15 times every week
- 24. Briefing Takeaways Asbestosis deadly. World Trade Center Health Program Facts: - 70,000 workers have chronic conditions - 10-15 new cancers a week
- 25. Assistant General Presidentfor Health, Safety and Medicine International Association of Fire Fighters
- 26. Prior to 1975,building materials contained asbestos. Often times members are unaware that a building contains asbestos. Exposures occur during fire suppression, over haul and gross decontamination. Asbestos impacts IAFF members everyday
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- 29. Why we needto pass S. 717 • According to the NIOSH Firefighter study, “Firefighters have a rate of mesothelioma two times greater than the rate in the U.S. population as a whole.” • There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos, a known carcinogen, and it becomes especially dangerous when the microscopic asbestos fibers become dislodged and airborne.
- 30. Briefing Takeaways Accordingto the NIOSH Firefighter study, “Firefighters have a rate of mesothelioma two times greater than the rate in the U.S. population as a whole.” There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos, a known carcinogen, and it becomes especially dangerous when the microscopic asbestos fibers become dislodged and airborne.
- 31. US Policymakers Facea Moment of Truth Bob Sussman, ADAO Counsel
- 32. The good news. . . • Asbestos is no longer being mined in the US • Canada and Brazil, once large producers, have banned asbestos • Many asbestos-containing products have been eliminated • There is a strong scientific consensus in the developed world on the asbestos threat 2
- 33. • Imports ofraw asbestos by the chlor-alkali industry are increasing • Asbestos contamination is being found in talc-based products like baby powder, makeup and crayons used by many consumers • Despite movement away from asbestos, some products containing it are still entering the US, including: • Brake linings and friction products • Tile • Wallboard • Woven fabric • Cement • Gaskets • We don’t know the quantities of these products or who is exposed 3
- 34. • EPA bannedmost uses of asbestos under TSCA in 1989 but ban was blocked by a court in 1991 • Almost all asbestos uses are now lawful • Congress fixed TSCA in 2016 to give EPA new tools to address asbestos • EPA is doing a TSCA risk evaluation on asbestos but is not addressing • legacy uses • discontinued products • some asbestos-related cancers • asbestos environmental releases • contaminated consumer products. • Even if EPA finishes the risk evaluation in mid- 2020, actual regulation could take 2-4 more years • We can’t wait for EPA – Congress should ban asbestos now 4
- 35. Congress is steppinginto the void with the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019 (ARBAN) • Introduced in the House (H.R. 1603) and Senate (S. 717) on March 7, 2019 • Lead sponsors include E&C Chair Pallone (D-NJ), Rep. Bonamici (D-OR) and Sen. Merkley (D-OR) • Nearly 60 co-sponsors in two Houses • House legislative E&C hearing on May 8, 2019 demonstrated bi-partisan concern about asbestos 5
- 36. • A completeand rapid end to all asbestos imports and uses • The ban covers all types of asbestos, including “Libby Amphibole” • Asbestos contamination of consumer products prohibited • Right-to-Know reporting to assure a full picture of asbestos exposure and risk • A new study of the dangers of legacy asbestos in buildings to inform changes in laws and policies to protect the public 6
- 37. Briefing Takeaw ays üDespit e high ho pes t hat t he 2016 TSC A o ver haul w o uld give EPA t he t o o ls t o ban asbest o s, EPA’s use o f t he law has been w eak and half-hear t ed and is unlikely t o result in significant public healt h pro t ec t io n fro m t he c o nt inuing t hreat o f asbest o s expo sure. ü C o ngress sho uldn’t w ait fo r ac t io n by EPA but sho uld st ep int o t he vo id w it h c o m prehensive legislat io n pro hibit ing all asbest o s im po r t s and use.
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- 40. Annual U.S. ChlorineProduction Usage • 40% PVC or vinyl • 37% basic organic chemicals needed for manufacturing, and solvents for metalworking, dry cleaning, and electronics • “ large uses” of chlorine to produce hydrochloric acid • 4% water treatment • “very small” percentage used to help manufacture over 93 percent of pharmaceuticals sold in the U.S. @Linda_ADAO
- 41. @Linda_ADAO • Energy Efficient •Economically Viable Substitutions • Increased Competitiveness • Independent from Foreign Imports Asbestos Ban Financial Benefits
- 42. EPA’s risk evaluationexclusions will lead to a incomplete and inaccurate review of the risks and conditions of use • Legacy Asbestos in Homes, Schools, and Workplaces • Deaths from Ovarian and Laryngeal Cancers, and Asbestosis • Libby Amphibole in 30 Million Homes @Linda_ADAO
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- 44. Support Banning Asbestos TheAttorneys General of Massachusetts, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia 18 EPA career staff, scientists and lawyers 17 @Linda_ADAO
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- 46. ADAO Briefing ResourcesPage @Linda_ADAO
- 47. Briefing Takeaways Asbestoskills nearly 40,000 Americans each year. The chlor-alkali industry is the sole industry importing and using raw chrysotile asbestos. In 2018, the chlor-alkali industry imported 750 metric tons of raw chrysotile asbestos from Russia and Brazil.
Editor's Notes
- #22 Asbestos does have some redeeming qualities which is why there was such extensive use. But as time went on all began to realize the harmful health efects of exposure to this substance
- #27 Legacy asbestos is a problem
- #29 The study was conducted 7 years later with about~10,000 firefighters exposed to WTC 19% higher cancer risk in exposed than non-exposed firefighters It takes about 20-50 years (extended period of time) for mesothelioma to develop after asbestos exposure…but we’ve heard from the clinics of a few being evaluated including at least one with no apparent earlier exposure to asbestos (e.g., construction work). All in all, we are just starting to see patients with mesothelioma related to WTC exposures.