PULMONARY FIBROSIS STATEMENT ON THE PROPOSED SIGNIFICANT NEW RULE TO THE ASBESTOS HAZARD EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACT
Proposed New Use Rule for Asbestos
Pulmonary Fibrosis Statement on the E.P.A.'s Proposed Significant New Use Rule for Asbestos
The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation strongly opposes the E.P.A.'s proposed Significant New Use Rule for asbestos that would be harmful and potentially deadly to the pulmonary health of American citizens.
The World Health Organization has estimated that over 107,000 people die from asbestos-related diseases each year.* In the US in 2016, 1,142 Americans died from or with pulmonary fibrosis due to asbestos exposure (asbestosis).** This number has declined from 1,486 in the year 2000, largely due to interventions to reduce human exposure to asbestos in the United States. Despite this reduction, asbestos-related lung diseases remain a primary health concern.
We urge the E.P.A. to withdraw its plan to change this Significant New Use Rule for asbestos.
*Stayner L1, Welch LS, Lemen R.The worldwide pandemic of asbestos-related diseases. Annu Rev Public Health. 2013;34:205-16. doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-
**Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. Multiple Cause of Death 1999-2016 on CDC WONDER Online Database, released December, 2017. Data are from the Multiple Cause of Death Files, 1999-2016, as compiled from data provided by the 57 vital statistics jurisdictions through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Accessed at http://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd-