Renewed call for U.S. asbestos ban on Mesothelioma Awareness Day

Every 13 minutes, another American dies from an asbestos-related disease, such as mesothelioma. Tragically, many of those Americans are fire fighters and emergency medical workers.  
 
On Mesothelioma Awareness Day, the IAFF is proud to partner with the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) to urge Congress to ban asbestos once and for all.
 
Each year, some 3,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with mesothelioma – a rare cancer that attacks the lining of the lungs and remains incredibly difficult to treat. The disease develops through long-term asbestos exposure, but many don’t show symptoms until it has progressed past the point of being treatable.
 
From 1991 to 2021, more than one million Americans died from preventable asbestos-caused diseases. Fire fighters are more than twice as likely to develop asbestos-related cancers than the general population, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
 
For decades, asbestos-filled materials were used throughout the U.S. for home and building construction. When these buildings catch fire or suffer significant damage, asbestos within the materials is released, exposing fire fighters to harmful chemicals and increasing their risk of developing diseases like mesothelioma. 
 
 “Fire isn’t the only threat we face on the job. Hidden threats like asbestos – and the diseases that come from being exposed to it – pose a serious risk to the health and well-being of all fire fighters,” said General President Edward Kelly. “The IAFF is proud to stand with ADAO in the fight to remove asbestos from our communities.”
 
Despite the common belief that asbestos is banned, more than 300 tons of raw chrysotile asbestos were imported into the United States in 2022, primarily through ports on the West and Gulf coasts.
 
Linda Reinstein knows all too well the devastating impact of asbestos-related diseases. In 2003, her husband, Alan Reinstein, was diagnosed with mesothelioma after prolonged asbestos exposure. He died three years later.
 
While Linda was heartbroken by the loss, she channeled her pain into action – vowing to do everything in her power to ensure no other family had to go through the same pain.
 
In 2004, Linda founded ADAO, a nonprofit committed to educating experts, lawmakers, and the public on the need for an asbestos ban. Since then, she has become a global advocate for the ban of all asbestos, testifying multiple times before Congress and other lawmaking bodies across the globe about the impacts of maintaining the status quo. 
 
ADAO has also been the lead organization advocating for the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now (ARBAN) Act (H.R. 2402 / S. 1069). More than 70 countries have implemented asbestos bans. The IAFF-endorsed ARBAN Act would add the United States to that list, as it would prohibit the manufacturing, process, use, and commercial distribution of asbestos across the country.
 
“On Mesothelioma Awareness Day, we stand united with IAFF in calling on Congress to pass the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now (ARBAN) Act. Together, we can prevent further suffering and needless loss by finally banning asbestos,” said Reinstein. “Fire fighters courageously risk their lives for our safety – now it’s time for Congress to protect them from the deadly dangers of asbestos.”
 
The IAFF and ADAO have collaborated for years to engage with lawmakers and regulators about the need to change. Earlier this year, the two organizations worked with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to secure a ban on the use of chrysotile asbestos in the U.S.
 
IAFF members should be aware of the increased risk of asbestos exposure brought on by their jobs. Fire fighters and emergency medical workers should always use proper protective equipment and follow the recommended safety procedures when working in areas where asbestos exposures are increased. Maintaining routine medical checks and blood work, and discussing any potential symptoms with their healthcare provider, is also essential to catching the disease early.
 
To learn more about the impacts of asbestos-related diseases and how you can join the fight to ban asbestos, visit the IAFF website or asbestosdiseaseawareness.org.