Posted on February 27, 2021

On February 26, 2021, ADAO sent a letter to Senator Jeff Merkley and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici thanking them for their unwavering leadership since 2017 to protect Americans from asbestos.

February 26, 2021

The Honorable Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Suzanne Bonamici
439 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

RE: Continued SUPPORT for Your Comprehensive Ban Asbestos Legislation

Dear Senator Merkley and Representative Bonamici,

On behalf of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), an independent nonprofit dedicated to preventing asbestos exposure, we want to express our deep appreciation for your legislative commitment to protecting Americans from asbestos exposure.

Since your first Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now (ARBAN) bill was introduced in 2017, an estimated 160,000 Americans have died from preventable asbestos-caused diseases, and nearly 1,500 metric tons of raw asbestos have been imported into the U.S. In addition to imports and use, Americans remain at risk from legacy asbestos exposure, as it can still be found in homes, schools, workplaces, and in consumer products.

Amazing progress was made in the last Congress toward passing ARBAN, which would have banned all six asbestos fiber types (chrysotile, actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, crocidolite, and tremolite) and winchite and richterite; called for a groundbreaking study of legacy asbestos by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS); and required improvements in the Chemical Data Reporting rule. S. 717 and H.R. 1603 had the support of AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers, American Public Health Association, International Association of Firefighters, 19 Attorneys General, and many other stakeholders who recognize the importance of banning asbestos to protect public health.

Recently, EPA’s bifurcated and narrow “Risk Evaluation of Asbestos” was further proof that regulation alone is insufficient to protect Americans from asbestos and that legislation is the only effective way to prevent all asbestos-related diseases.

Thank you for your unwavering leadership. Over the past four years, we have never been this close to passing life-saving legislation, and we owe that to you and your staff. You have our sincere commitment moving forward to support legislation in order to protect Americans from asbestos.

With sincere thanks,

Barry Castleman, ScD, ADAO Scientific Advisory Board

Arthur L. Frank MD, PhD, ADAO Co-Chair Scientific Advisory Board

Brent Kynoch, ADAO Chair Prevention Advisory Board

Richard A. Lemen, Ph.D., MSPH, Assistant Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health Service (ret.) and ADAO Co-Chair Scientific Advisory Board

Celeste Monforton, DrPH, MPH, ADAO Scientific and Prevention Advisory Board Liaison

Linda Reinstein, ADAO President and Co-Founder

Robert Sussman, JD, ADAO Counsel