Russian asbestos company ships product with President Trump’s face on packagingBy: Sara Mayer, Xiro Xone News August 22, 2018 Updated: 6:05 PM PTA Russian company is producing asbestos and President Trump’s picture is all over their packaging. The heat resistant material suspected of causing cancer, was banned in more than 60 countries, and in the United States, for new uses.
The International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS) said, “Roughly 10,000 Americans die each year from preventable asbestos-related diseases such as, asbestosis, lung and ovarian cancer and Mesothelioma.” The World Health Organization said, “Scientific evidence has concluded all forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans. 125 million people are exposed to asbestos at the workplace.” Uralasbest is a Russian company manufacturing asbestos. They are packaging and distributing their product with the words, “Approved by Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States,” and a photo of president Trump on the packaging. When the administration said they were rolling back regulations to help American businesses, former EPA head Scott Pruitt, redefined the Toxic Substance Control Act, as part of the Trump administration’s new environmental policies. This goes against the Obama administration’s policy of, no new uses for asbestos. According to Chemical & Engineering News, the United States imported 95 percent of asbestos from Brazil, but they recently banned the mining, distribution, and use of the cancer-causing mineral. The loss of the Brazilian import made it possible for Russia to move in and become the sole supplier of asbestos to the United States. “More than 438,000 Russians depend on asbestos factories and mines for their livelihood,” according to the New York Times. Now that most of the asbestos supplied to the United States may, come from Russia, the numbers may increase. |
