Though 2020 was a trying year, we kicked off 2021 with a bang, taking strong steps in our fight to ban asbestos and protect the well-being of all Americans. We continue that work with many prevention efforts and events this month for World Cancer Prevention Month. As ADAO says, “Hear Asbestos. Think Prevention.”
NPR WFAE has produced “Asbestos Town” -- an excellent three-part series and documentary about legacy asbestos in the lovely town of Davidson, North Carolina. This is yet again, another glaring reminder of the dangers of legacy asbestos and the need to ban imports and use. Register to join us for a virtual panel discussion today, Monday, February 1, at 7 p.m. ET focused on possible next steps to mitigate exposure.
Following our successful legal battle against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to require right-to-know reporting on asbestos, we are heading back to court to take EPA on again! On January 26, ADAO, five public health groups and six leading asbestos scientists asked the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to review the flawed and incomplete asbestos risk evaluation issued last month by EPA under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). We also sent EPA a 60-day letter under TSCA to assure that EPA carries out its obligation to evaluate the risks of legacy asbestos in millions of buildings across the country. The organizations joining ADAO in these legal actions are the American Public Health Association (APHA); Center for Environmental Health (CEH); Environmental Information Association (EIA): Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families (SCHF); and Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG) Also participating are Barry Castleman, ScD; Raja Flores, MD; Arthur Frank, MD, PhD; Philip Landrigan, MD, MSc; Richard Lemen, PhD, MSPH; and Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH.
On February 3, 2021, ADAO and other stakeholders will make oral comments during the “US EPA Public Webinar: Chrysotile Asbestos Risk Evaluation and Management” focused on risk management under the Toxic Substances Control Act and the findings in the Part 1 final risk evaluation for for chrysotile asbestos.
We’d like to extend a huge thank you to Simmons Hanly Conroy, our first Platinum Sponsor of 2021! Our sponsors are our true heroes, and without them, our small team would not be the amazing driving force in the legal and legislative world that it is. Limited sponsorship opportunities are available until March.
