Colombia Ban of Asbestos Sets Example for US to Follow

Linda Reinstein was not surprised by the news last week that Colombia had joined the growing list of more than 60 countries to legislate a ban of asbestos. She saw it coming when she spoke on the topic at the University of Rosario in Bogota, Colombia, almost a year ago. She felt the intense passion there to prevent more innocent lives being lost to asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma. “It was another experience where the heartache, grief and anger of asbestos victims all came together and turned into action to facilitate change,” Reinstein, president and CEO of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, told The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com. “In Colombia, they have crossed the finish line.” Lawmakers in Colombia voted unanimously to ban the production, use and sale of asbestos products, beginning in 2021. The victory in Colombia followed seven earlier legislative defeats over the previous 12 years. “History was made,” said Silvia Gomez, director of Greenpeace Colombia, which lobbied for the ban for many years. “It was an unprecedented victory for the health of the country. It also is a tribute to the victims of asbestos and the tireless and exciting struggle of their relatives.” The U.S. remains one of a few industrialized nations without a comprehensive ban like the one passed in Colombia. Ban Includes a Five-Year Transition Period Colombia’s ban is only the second time a major asbestos-producing country has adopted a complete prohibitio...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: news