The majority of America’s citizens are well aware of asbestos’ dangers, and of the fact that exposure to asbestos causes malignant mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Many people believe that asbestos use was banned long ago in the U.S., and those who know that it hasn’t been banned would like that happen, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency decided recently that doing so was not necessary. Instead, the EPA decided to evaluate new uses of the product in keeping with President Donald Trump’s stated belief that the material is safe. In a move that was apparently designed to make use of Trump’s stance, a Russian asbestos producer and seller is now branding its pallets of the carcinogenic material with an image of President Trump, along with the words “Approved by Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States.”
The company that is branding its products with Trump’s picture is Uralasbest, whose home base is a town known as “the dying city” for its high number of lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestos-related disease victims. In defiance of this reputation and the science that has connected chrysotile asbestos to death and disease, Uralasbest posted photos of its product on Facebook, with notes that “Donald is on our side!” and thanking the president for his support of former EPA head Scott Pruitt’s decision regarding asbestos. The post also points out that Trump called asbestos “100% safe after application.” The company is known to be closely tied to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Speaking of the dangers of asbestos and the impact of the EPA decision, president of the Environmental Working Group Ken Cook said, “Vladimir Putin and Russia’s asbestos industry stand to prosper mightily as a result of the Trump administration’s failure to ban asbestos in the U.S. Helping Putin and Russian oligarchs amass fortunes by selling a product that kills thousands each year should never be the role of a U.S. president or the EPA, but this is the Trump administration.”
Despite the president’s assertions about asbestos, the material has been classified as a “known carcinogen” by the federal government and its uses in the United States have been significantly curtailed. Despite this, roughly 3,000 American citizens die of malignant mesothelioma each year, and many more are affected by other asbestos-related diseases.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, or in some other way affected by exposure to asbestos, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608.
