Lettera al Presidente degli Stati Uniti – versione inglese
Lettera al Presidente degli Stati Uniti – versione italiana
Posted on August 23, 2018
This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Cristina Fava, the Environmental Counselor of Casale Monferrato, Italy. In this interview, Cristina talks about asbestos in the small town of Casale Monferrato, how and why the town is working towards a ban, and the outrage their nation feels about the United States refusing to ban the lethal carcinogen.
Left: Concetta Palazzetti; Mayor of Casale Monferrato. Right: Cristina Fava; Environmental Counselor of Casale Monferrato.
Linda: Please introduce yourself to our readers.
Cristina: I’m Cristina Fava, Environmental Counselor of Casale Monferrato since June, 2014. I deal particularly with asbestos removal and decontamination all over our “SIN” (site of national interest), that is composed by 48 municipalities for 738 square km.
Linda: Tell our readers a little bit about yourself.
Cristina: I was born in Casale Monferrato in 1984, as the Eternit (the biggest plant in Europe) was just to be closed. My parents and my grandparents worked there. After my graduation, I took a Master on asbestos removal with a thesis on the asbestos legislation in different Countries (Brazil, USA, Italy, UK, etc…) and in 2014 began my experience as Environmental Counselor, an opportunity to do something concrete for my community. From 2014 until now, we have removed over 580.000 square meters of asbestos-cement and we are completing the removal of “polverino”, the hazardous asbestos’ dust. On September, 10th 2016 we have inaugurated the “Eternit Park”, the highly symbolic park that arises where the plant was removed and demolished (2006-2010). Now, we are restoring the building of the old offices in order to open a museum. We feel that this Park can hold a high symbolic value and inspire many other communities that have been faced by similar challenges. It shows that having suitable laws can save thousands of lives; that when institutions, civil society and business community work together, it is possible to achieve unimaginable results, such as the massive renewal plan that is leading Casale – and the other 47 towns of our territory which benefit of our services -, to become the first asbestos-free urban area in Italy.
Linda: Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) has great respect for Casale Monferrato and ABeVA. Please tell our readers what is new in your action.
Cristina: We are completing asbestos removal from all our “SIN”: public sites are decontaminated, but private sites are to complete (in Italy there isn’t a law that forces to remove asbestos-cement, but there are significant economic incentives). With regard to justice, the second trial goes on, we don’t give up!
Linda: Please tell us why asbestos in the USA is important to Casale.
Cristina: It’s so important because we are fighting to obtain a worldwide ban of asbestos, we can’t accept that thousands of citizens are dying because of asbestos diseases in 2018! USA and Europe could raise the public awareness and to contribute to a potential updating of the regulatory framework related to asbestos, with a focus on removal and environmental restoration.
Linda: What is your message to the United States, and to President Trump?
Cristina: It’s outrageous for the city of Casale Monferrato to know that the United States allows for continued raw asbestos imports and use. The stunning rule proposed by EPA on a significant new use rule (SNUR) for certain uses of asbestos and this United States’ backward step has shocked all our community. The exposure to asbestos causes thousands of deaths all around the world and to admit asbestos’ use means to be responsible of the asbestos related diseases. We urge the President to take a strong position against asbestos imports and use and issue an Executive Order supporting The Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act and invest funds on medical research against mesothelioma and on research on substitutes for asbestos construction products.
I would like to thank Cristina Fava for sharing this information with ADAO and our audience.
Linda Reinstein
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