April 1st

By Linda Reinstein

Last year,  ADAO launched Asbestos Awareness Week. Over the course of seven days, leading experts exposed information on the impacts of asbestos on health, the environment, and the economy.. This year, with the help of our social media networks, ADAO will share how asbestos impacts the citizens of the world. Guest writers from Canada, Mexico, Japan, South America, India, UK, and beyond will continue to open our eyes to the devastating wake that asbestos is leaving behind. Special thanks also go to those individuals willing to share their personal stories from around the world.

ADAO’s work could not be accomplished without the input of our global community. Together, we believe that we can turn anger into action, but we must start at the beginning with education. Today, April 1, 2011, we want to share 7 facts about asbestos; expose the reality that asbestos does not discriminate against status, occupation or the borders of a nation; and finally, share some resources on the swelling online community that truly exists globally.

Top 7 Reasons to Prevent Asbestos Exposure

  1. Asbestos is a proven human carcinogen and there is no safe level of exposure.
  2. Asbestos fibers can cause asbestosis, lung and gastrointestinal cancers, and an aggressive cancer called mesothelioma. The average life expectancy of a mesothelioma patient is six – twelve months.
  3. Asbestos diseases have a 10 – 50 year latency period from initial exposure to development of disease.
  4. Chrysotile asbestos accounts for nearly 95% of asbestos mined and exported today. The top five asbestos producing countries are Russia, China, Brazil, Kazakhstan, and Canada.
  5. 55 countries have banned asbestos, but the U.S. and Canada have not.
  6. World Health Organization estimates 107,000 workers die annually from exposure to asbestos. Asbestos has been mined and used in a broad range of products, materials, and applications including construction, insulation, shipyards, and many other industries.
  7. Asbestos fibers can be nearly 700 times smaller than human hair and are odorless, tasteless, indestructible fibers that can remain suspended in the air for seconds.

Linda Reinstein is ADAO’s President/CEO and Co-Founder. She will be presenting at the Asbestos Awareness Conference on April 2, 2011. https://www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org/adao-conference/

ABOUT ADAO: Since 2004, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization has given asbestos victims and concerned citizens a united voice to raise public awareness about the threat that asbestos exposure poses to public health. Now 6,000 strong, ADAO is the largest international organization dedicated to preventing asbestos-related diseases through education and legislation.