ADAO Applauds U.S. Surgeon General for Statement on the Dangers of Asbestos in Support of National Asbestos Awareness Week

April 2, 2015 | By Business Wire News

WASHINGTON

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), which combines education, advocacy, and community to prevent exposure and ensure justice for asbestos victims, today announced its strong support for the statement from Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General, that reaffirms the dangers of asbestos. According to the statement: “National Asbestos Awareness Week is April 1-7 – a good time to remind Americans about the health dangers of asbestos exposure. Asbestos, a natural mineral fiber that is found in rock and soil, was widely used as insulation and fireproofing material in homes, commercial buildings, ships and other products, such as paints and car brakes. In recent years, asbestos use has decreased dramatically after it was linked to illnesses, including lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis.” He continued, “because of its use in so many products, asbestos is still of special concern.”

Since 2004, ADAO has been working with Congress and the White House to prevent asbestos exposure in efforts to eliminate deadly asbestos-related diseases. The U.S. Surgeon General’s Statement coincides with National Asbestos Awareness Week, (April 1 – 7) as designated by the Senate in its 11th consecutive annual resolution that includes an indisputable list of facts about the dangers of asbestos. This important educational week raises public awareness about the prevalence of asbestos-related diseases and the dangers of asbestos exposure and coincides with the international educational campaign – Global Asbestos Awareness Week.

“It is unconscionable that our country continues to import deadly asbestos and that it continues to be used in products that we are unknowingly exposed to,” stated Linda Reinstein, ADAO Co-Founder and President. “We are grateful to U.S. Surgeon General Murthy for his statement reaffirming the dangers of asbestos, helping to spread the word that there is no safe level of exposure. It is especially meaningful on the second day of Global Asbestos Awareness Week, which ADAO has dedicated to the previous U.S. Surgeon General Statements and the past 11 U.S. Senate Resolutions. More than fifty countries have banned asbestos, but the U.S. is not one of them. 10,000 Americans die each year due to asbestos exposure and the time for a ban is long overdue. Millions of tons of asbestos remain in U.S. homes, schools, offices, and factories. Enough is truly enough.”

Despite its known dangers, asbestos remains legal and lethal in the USA and imports continue. Exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, lung, gastrointestinal, laryngeal, and ovarian cancers; as well as non-malignant lung and pleural disorders. The World Health Organization estimates that 107,000 workers around the world will die every year of an asbestos-related disease,equaling 300 deaths per day.

ADAO’s 11^th Annual Asbestos Awareness Conference features more than 40 renowned medical experts and asbestos victims from ten countries, focusing on the latest advancements in asbestos disease prevention, treatment for mesothelioma and other asbestos-caused diseases, and global ban asbestos advocacy. To register for ADAO’s 2015 conference, click here.

About the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) was founded by asbestos victims and their families in 2004. ADAO is the largest non-profit in the U.S. dedicated to providing asbestos victims and concerned citizens with a united voice through our education, advocacy, and community initiatives. ADAO seeks to raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure, advocate for an asbestos ban, and protect asbestos victims’ civil rights. For more information, visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org. ADAO, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, does not make legal referrals.