Posted on Wednesday, April 8, 2020
Check out IOSH’s #2020GAAW Wrap Up Blog: Global Asbestos Awareness Week reaches thousands on social media
In 2020, asbestos still remains legal and lethal in the United States, despite being banned in nearly 70 other countries worldwide. This year’s Global Asbestos Awareness Week (#2020GAAW) marked 16 years of efforts from all at the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) who strive to raise awareness on the issue. In 2018, the United States Geological Survey released data indicating that U.S. imports of deadly, raw asbestos had risen to 750 metric tons, up from only 332 tons in 2017. By encouraging communities worldwide to share, learn and, most importantly, take action, the hope is that exposure to asbestos will lessen, ultimately reducing the number of unnecessary deaths.
You blew it away on social media! We were very excited to reach a global community and engage in great conversations.
This year, we again partnered for prevention with the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and combined our expertise in order to expand our outreach with the media, associations, and organizations. During the week, IOSH, through its No Time to Lose (NTTL) campaign, provided many educational resources such as its eight steps to managing asbestos and a webinar on the topic of asbestos prevention. IOSH also urged businesses to sign-up to its pledge to prevent occupational cancer, and more!
To ensure our messages were heard across the globe, we once again joined forces with McOnie, a specialist PR agency with 25 years of experience spanning the occupational health, manufacturing, and industrial markets.
ADAO developed communications materials that encouraged a worldwide call to action. The “Asbestos: One Word. One Week. One World.” message promoted valuable public health information, including key World Health Organization statistics highlighting the nearly 300 daily deaths from asbestos-related disease around the world.
Partnering for Prevention
We were also able to again feature artist and activist Firdaus Kharas’s Public Service Announcement videos in six languages. “Asbestos: The Killer You Can’t See” || “Asbesto: El asesino que no puede ver” || “Асбест: убийца, которого вы не видите“ || “एस्बेस्टोस: द किलर आप देख नहीं सकते” || “Amianto: O assassino que você não pode” || “L’amiante: le tueur que vous ne voyez pas”.
Building on art and advocacy, we partnered with Earl Dotter on day five to bring his newest Poster: Asbestos: Art, Advocacy, and Academia. Furthermore, we worked with Jordan Zevon, musician and ADAO spokesperson, to highlight the upcoming Record Store Day on June 10, 2020. You will be able to buy a special album featuring the work of Jordan’s father, Warren Zevon, curated by filmmaker Judd Apatow.
Special thanks to all of our Global Asbestos Awareness Week Ambassadors, including day one’s Mavis Nye, day two’s Julie Gundlach, day three’s Mike Mattmuller, day five’s Conor B. Lewis and Zack Johnson, and day six’s Sara Babin. Without all of their incredible advocacy and strength, our message would not be as powerful.
Outcomes
As I reflect on the success of #2020GAAW, I am both amazed and encouraged. I am amazed by how far the core messages of GAAW and ADAO traveled, and I was encouraged to see tangible results from our combined efforts, highlighting that what we are doing is meaningful. More people than ever have truly heard what we have to say and, more importantly, have recognized the importance of sharing it with others.
As the sun set on GAAW, we gathered on Friday to light a candle of hope, remembrance, and strength.
Looking Ahead
The global reaction to GAAW ’20 has been truly remarkable, and we have created worldwide conversations on asbestos dangers. Our 2020 mantra “One Word, One Week, One World” has been realized and more people than ever are aware of the efforts of ADAO.
Together, our shared goals and ultimate objectives are:
- to ban both the manufacturing and mining of asbestos
- prevent overall exposures
- increase the compliance and enforcement of existing laws and regulation
If we continue to take action together, we will achieve our goals. To each of you who shared our educational resources, your own personal story, or the stories of other Warriors— you made this happen and are the biggest part of the solution!
We look forward to continuing the Global Asbestos Awareness Week conversation in 2021. Until then, remember: HEAR ASBESTOS. THINK PREVENTION.
Linda Reinstein