Firefighters Union Advocates for Total U.S. Asbestos Ban

A representative of the International Association of Fire Fighters appeared before a congressional subcommittee recently to push for a total ban of asbestos in the United States. The IAFF represents thousands of firefighters in the U.S. and Canada. The labor union is supporting the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2023, which would amend the federal Toxic Substances Control Act. The bill is named for Reinstein, who died in 2006 from mesothelioma after he was exposed to asbestos. If passed, the legislation would prohibit the use and importation of all six types of asbestos. More than 70 countries have already created a similar ban to eliminate all asbestos.  “Firefighters are regularly exposed to airborne asbestos fibers as they respond to fires and other hazardous situations, making them 200 times more likely to develop related illnesses than the general public,” said IAFF Governmental Affairs Representative Greg Russell. “Occupational cancers have become the leading cause of death among firefighters, and as a response, this union is fully committed to addressing this life-threatening issue head-on.” In April, a massive warehouse fire broke out at a plastic recycling processing plant in Richmond, Indiana. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency later found toxic chemicals, including asbestos, at the scene. The IAFF used the fire as an example of why asbestos should be banned.  “On behalf of the IAFF and its members, I urged the...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure Awareness/Advocacy Source Type: news