In response to just-published revelations of chemical company employee exposure to asbestos, the president and co-founder of mesothelioma advocacy group Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) has issued a statement calling on Congress to finally enact a U.S. ban on the lethal material. According to Linda Reinstein, “Congress knows what it must do, and these heartbreaking personal stories only further underline why they must move expeditiously to end this man-made disaster and protect public health.”
ProPublica Investigative Report Reveals Workers’ Asbestos Exposure
Reinstein’s statement follows the publication of an investigative report published by ProPublica titled Workers Across America Break Their Silence on Decades of Asbestos Exposure. The story, co-published with NPR News, details decades of chemical company failures to provide adequate protections for workers at chlor-alkali plants, including a janitor who was exposed to asbestos fibers while pregnant.
Asbestos has been directly linked to malignant mesothelioma, a rare and deadly form of cancer. Until it was discovered to be a carcinogen, the mineral was widely used in a variety of industrial and high-heat settings. A full ban has never been put in place, largely due to lobbying on the part of the chemical industry. Mrs. Reinstein’s husband Alan died of the asbestos-related disease, leading her to form the independent nonprofit dedicated to preventing asbestos exposure through education, advocacy, and community initiatives.
Mesothelioma Advocate Urges Congress to Take Action to Ban Asbestos
Approximately 2,600 Americans die of malignant mesothelioma each year, and many more are afflicted with asbestosis and other asbestos-related diseases. While advocates have worked tirelessly to have the material fully banned in the United States, the chlor-alkali industry has successfully stood in the way of these actions. Linda Reinstein says the time has come for action.
“A meaningful asbestos ban is decades overdue and ProPublica’s latest reporting is yet another example of unnecessary asbestos exposure, illness, and death. More than 40,000 Americans die from asbestos-related diseases each year. The story shared by ProPublica is just one of thousands of stories detailing unnecessary suffering and illness, and is a reminder as to why we desperately need Congress to ban deadly asbestos.”
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help you access the resources you need. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608.
