Just a few weeks ago, Walmart, CVS, and Rite Aid took Johnson and Johnson baby powder off their shelves due to the FDA finding sub-trace level of asbestos in it.
Also occurring around that time – several Philadelphia schools found asbestos in their facilities and had to close down two schools.
The hazardous material was discovered during an environmental inspection carried out by the district and teacher’s union. The air was tested for asbestos fibers and additional ducts were checked. The district said fibers were discovered, but that testing came back within acceptable levels set by the Department of Health.
The union called for the district to spend $100 million to make vital physical improvements to aging and neglected city school buildings across the city. They claim asbestos has been found in about 150 buildings in the school district.
Former Environmental Protection Administration Administrators Gina McCarty and William K. Reilly recently penned an op-ed in today’s New York Times urging Congress to ban asbestos in the United States.
In the article, “Asbestos Kills Nearly 40,000 Americans a Year. Ban It,” the authors detail the history of American efforts to bank the carcinogenic material responsible for so many American deaths, including over 3,500 from malignant mesothelioma.
It’s apparent that asbestos is a huge problem in America but the EPA continues to ignore the issue. Let’s hope that the EPA wakes up soon and finally addresses what is a continuing major health hazard in America.
