Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency met with the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency on Monday to discuss a potential “watering down” of asbestos-related requirements at the urging of paid researchers representing the automotive, chemical and mining industries. These researchers claim that asbestos is not dangerous because the composition (including size and chemical makeup) “can’t be harmful.” The industry “experts” argued that the asbestos fibers contained in sand, taconite and other materials is not as toxic as doctors have been touting since the 1980’s, when asbestos regulations were first introduced. Exposure to any level of asbestos has been definitively linked to the onset of pleural mesothelioma, a fatal type of cancer that attacks the pleural lining of the lungs and has no known cure.
The EPA is not the only organization to publically denounce the use of asbestos due to its dangerous health risks. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, OSHA, and The World Health Organization have long agreed that there is absolutely no “safe” level of asbestos, and that the use of asbestos-containing materials should be banned.
A 29-page report released by Dr. Michael Silverstein of the University of Washington and signed by 83 public health officials was presented to EPA during the July 21st summit in Washington, D.C. and revealed details related to this “science-for-hire” practice, including the payment of scientists to “minimize public health and environmental concerns” surrounding asbestos.
Linda Reinstein, Executive Director of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, testified at the meeting and argued that EPA must focus on “regulations and legislation that protect public health,” rather than big industry. Reinstein lost her husband to mesothelioma and began her victim advocacy group as a means of increasing awareness of the deadly disease.
The Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center exhort the EPA to maintain the current asbestos regulations and stress the need for increased legislation related to asbestos use.
The Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center is the web’s leading resource for information related to mesothelioma, mesothelioma treatment methods, top physicians, and more. For further information, please visit the Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center website.
