US Senate passes resolution for 10th annual National Asbestos Awareness Week

February 28, 2014- The US Senate passed a resolution last month designating the first week of April as National Asbestos Awareness Week for the 10th year in a row.

Asbestos has been linked to a range of diseases, including asbestos lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma, a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs. Asbestos exposure causes more than 107,000 deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization.

Even though the dangers of asbestos have been known for decades, it is still being imported and used in the US. Approximately 1,600 metric tons of asbestos was imported into the US in 2012, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS said that 41 percent of imported asbestos was used in roofing products, with the rest used in “unknown applications.”

Senator Max Baucus helped pass Senate Resolution 336 to raise the public awareness concerning both the dangers of exposure to asbestos and the prevalence of diseases related to asbestos exposure.

“Asbestos continues to be used, not just in the US but across the world, despite the fact it is a carcinogen that can lead to devastating consequences,” said Russell Budd, managing director of national mesothelioma law firm Baron & Budd.

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