Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization "United for Asbes tos Disease Awareness , Educat ion , Advocacy , and Community Support"

1525 Aviation Boulevard, Suite 318 · Redondo Beach · California · 90278 · (310) 251-7477 www.AsbestosDiseaseAwareness.org

Board o f Dire c tors Ellen Costa Secretary Doug Larkin Member at Large Linda Reinstein President Laurie Rice Member at Large Ellen Tunkelrott Treasurer National Spokesperson Jordan Zevon Science Advisory Board Arthur L. Frank, MD, PhD Co-Chair Richard Lemen, PhD, MSPH Co-Chair Dr. Brad Black Dr. Barry Castleman Dr. Raja Flores Dr. Michael Harbut Dr. Hedy Kindler Dr. Christine Oliver Prevent ion Advisory Board Brent Kynoch Co-Chair Christine Winter Co-Chair Mark Catlin Claire Deacon Tom Laubenthal John Newquist Tony Rich Mark Winter

Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization

Meeting Agenda December 6-7, 2016

About the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO):

Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) was founded by asbestos victims and their families in 2004. ADAO seeks to give asbestos victims and concerned citizens a united voice to raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure. ADAO is an independent global organization dedicated to preventing asbestos-related diseases through education, advocacy and community. ADAO’s mission includes supporting global advocacy and advancing asbestos awareness, prevention, early detection, treatment, and resources for asbestos-related disease. ADAO Science Advisory Board is under the leadership of Dr. Arthur Frank and Dr. Richard Lemen.

Issues to be Discussed and Supportive Materials: New data from the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) on the increasing mesothelioma deaths despite decreased usage

• National Occupational Respiratory Mortality System (NORMS) data Impact of the Trump administration on environmental justice, public health, and TSCA implementation

• EPW Letter to Vice President Elect Mike Pence (November 30, 2016) • “Trump a Tort Reformer? Not a Sure Thing, Lawyers Say” National Law Journal

article (November 10, 2016) New information regarding the chlor-alkali industry’s use of asbestos and efforts to influence regulatory action

• Letter to EPA from American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) Chlorine Institute division asking for continued use (August 24, 2016)

• ACC press release announcing launch of “Center for Chemical Safety Act Implementation” (December 1, 2016)

• Chemical Assessments Principles chart from ACC’s Center for Chemical Safety Act Implementation website

Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization "United for Asbes tos Disease Awareness , Educat ion , Advocacy and Community"

1525 Aviation Boulevard, Suite 318 · Redondo Beach · California · 90278 · 310.251.7477 www.AsbestosDiseaseAwareness.org

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News/Columns

Trump a Tort Reformer? Not a Sure Thing,Lawyers SayAmanda Bronstad, The National Law Journal

November 10, 2016

The election of Donald Trump as president made it all but certain that conservatives will be joining theU.S. Supreme Court, but there is far greater uncertainty among tort reform groups and the defense barwhen it comes to legislative and regulatory efforts aimed at curbing class actions and widening the useof arbitration.

"There is cautious optimism," said John Beisner, leader of the mass torts, insurance and consumerlitigation at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in Washington. "It's hard to know what position thenew administration will take because a lot of these things haven't been directly addressed in thecampaign and there's the question of priority levels in the initial days. There's a limit to the number ofthings the administration can address, and matters in the tort reform area remain to be seen."

For its part, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, looking forward to a Republican Congress, plans to seekthe reintroduction of bills that would force more disclosures by plaintiffs lawyers in asbestos claims andprevent plaintiffs from certifying class actions when they can't demonstrate similar injuries, said LisaRickard, president of the group's Institute for Legal Reform.

"It's a whole new day," she said. "You'll see, unlike in previous years, more activity and more actions inthe Congress by the business community to try to advance much­needed reforms where you've gotthe plaintiffs lawyers really abusing the civil justice process, especially with regard to asbestoslitigation and class actions."

The latter bill, introduced last year as the Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act, would wipe out about95 percent of all class actions, said F. Paul Bland, executive director of public interest firm PublicJustice in Washington.

"It would be open season for securities fraud. Antitrust laws would mostly disappear, pay equity suitson behalf of women paid less than men, predatory lending cases — everything would completely goaway," he said.

But is that something that the president­elect would support? Bland said he's not so sure. Trump, whoself­financed much of his own presidential campaign, has clashed with the Chamber of Commerce onissues like trade policy.

"It's not clear to me that Donald Trump wants people who are essentially reliable hacks for theChamber of Commerce," Bland said. Contrast that with President George W. Bush, whose first billintroduced after he was reelected in 2004 was the Class Action Fairness Act, a top legislative priority

12/2/2016 Trump a Tort Reformer Not a Sure Thing Lawyers Say | National Law Journal

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for the Chamber of Commerce. "I don't hear Trump saying anything about how his first legislativepriority is helping corporations be immune from lawsuits," Bland said.

But Thomas Girardi, president of The National Trial Lawyers, doubted that Trump would put up muchof a fight if a Republican Congress pushed through tort reform measures. He said he's aware ofadditional proposals in the pipeline that involve damages caps and court approval of legal fees, hesaid.

"I think this is a very tough time for the plaintiffs bar," said Girardi, of Girardi Keese in Los Angeles."And the list is endless."

On the Chamber of Commerce's list: Require plaintiffs attorneys to disclose litigation financingcontracts, create a federal law on data breaches, and reform what Rickard called a "ton of abuse" inthe Telephone Consumer Protection Act, used to file class actions over unwarranted solicitations.Beisner, at Skadden, said there's also discussion about legislation that would address "increasinglytroubling issues" in California and Missouri, where the defense bar has struggled to remove mass tortsto federal courts.

In the regulatory space, there could be efforts to slow or reverse new or proposed rules from a half­dozen federal agencies restricting arbitration clauses, including the Federal CommunicationsCommission and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Rickard said. But she doubtedthat those rules would "come to a screeching halt."

"It's imperative that we make a stronger and better case on the benefit of arbitration to not only policy­makers but to the American electorate as a whole," she said. "We've got to do a little more spade workin this space."

Trump hasn't spoken on whether he would repeal such rules, Bland said. In fact, many of hissupporters and Republicans on the Hill have been at odds with the Chamber of Commerce when itcomes to limiting access to the courts.

"There will be this question about whether Trump is actually going to be a genuine conservativearound this issue or will be a corporate shill," he said. "If you look at the polls, Republicans hate theidea of forced arbitration as much as Democrats do. Most of Trump's voters aren't saying they give thebig banks what they want."

And Trump, a real estate entrepreneur, has filed a large number of lawsuits. Despite calling the"lawsuit industry" the "biggest loser" in Tuesday's election, the American Tort Reform Associationpreviously has criticized Trump for his litigiousness.

And, at least initially, Trump's got other priorities, like immigration reform and changes in free tradepolicies. Acknowledging those other issues, Rickard said the Chamber of Commerce isn't just focusedon Washington. Tuesday's election added Republican governors in several states, such as Missouri,where legislative efforts to change the state's rules on scientific experts at trial could succeed. Thedefense bar has blamed those rules on several substantial jury verdicts. "Obviously now there will bean opportunity to move that pretty quickly and get that signed," Rickard said. "That would be a priorityfor us."

Contact Amanda Bronstad at abronstad@alm.com. On Twitter: @abronstadnlj.

Copyright 2016. ALM Media Properties, LLC. All rights reserved.

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August 24, 2016 Document Control Office (7407M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) US Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20460-0001 Re: Risk Evaluation Procedural Rule under Toxic Substances Control Act Section

6(b)(4), Docket No. EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0400 (81 Federal Register 48789, July 26, 2016)

To Whom It May Concern: The Chlorine Chemistry Division1 (the “Division”) of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) appreciates the opportunity to provide input on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) development of processes for risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (LCSA). The Division supports the comments submitted by ACC in response to EPA’s call for information on prioritization and risk evaluation processes under the new statute. The Division wanted to use this opportunity to provide the Agency updated information about the conditions of use of asbestos in the chlor-alkali industry, before the Agency publishes which first 10 chemical substances from the TSCA Work Plan will be the subject of risk evaluations pursuant to LCSA Section 6(b)(2)(A). This information also is relevant to the LCSA’s Section 6(b)(4)(F) requirements that in conducting risk evaluations the Agency “integrate and assess available information on hazards and exposures for the conditions of use of the chemical substance,” and take into account the “likely duration, intensity, frequency and number of exposures” to the substance and to “describe the weight of the scientific evidence for the identified hazard and exposure.” Although EPA’s past regulatory efforts on asbestos were often cited as evidence of the need to strengthen the original TSCA, asbestos use has declined in the United States by over 99% since the 1970s.2 Asbestos is no longer mined in the United States and workplace exposures have been reduced by many hundred-fold. The few remaining uses for asbestos are tightly controlled—including its use in chlor-alkali manufacturing.

1 The Chlorine Chemistry Division of the American Chemistry Council represents major producers and users of

chlorine in North America. The Division works to promote and protect the sustainability of chlorine chemistry processes, products and applications in accordance with the principles of Responsible Care®.

2 Virta, R. Asbestos. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. 1–40 (2011).

Docket No. EPA-HQ-OPPT-2016-0400 August 24, 2016 Page 2

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The asbestos diaphragm process is one of three manufacturing processes utilized by the chlor-alkali sector to produce chlorine and caustic soda. Over 60% of U.S. chlor-alkali industry relies on technology that safely uses asbestos. This technology provides product and process benefits while helping to ensure the safe operation of facilities. The chlor-alkali industry works to ensure the safe use of asbestos for its employees and its operations and has an exceptional employee health and safety record. 3 Because the use of asbestos in the chlor-alkali industry is confined in the production process, worker exposure risk is essentially eliminated. The chlor-alkali industry’s success in minimizing releases and potential exposure to asbestos has been recognized by EPA almost three decades ago4 and in subsequent efforts by Congress to pass asbestos legislation. In the 1989 rule, the Agency concluded that “a ban on this product category would result in only minimal benefits because asbestos exposure is limited in most life cycle stages, relative to other products analyzed for this rule.”5 Chlorine chemistry helps to provide thousands of essential products the world depends on every day, including clean drinking water, computer chips, life-saving pharmaceuticals, and energy-efficient building materials. Furthermore, the industry and its downstream customers contribute to state and national economies by providing jobs and revenue. A recent economic study conducted by the Division concludes that the use of chlorine chemistry in nine manufacturing sectors saves American consumers $419 billion each year. The chlor-alkali industry supports the strong regulation of asbestos and has worked for many years to ensure the safe use of asbestos for its employees and its operations. We urge EPA to take the industry’s efforts into consideration as it determines whether to select asbestos among the initial 10 chemicals for risk evaluation under the LCSA and in determining the scope of any risk evaluation under the new statute. Sincerely,

Judith Nordgren Managing Director Chlorine Chemistry Division

3 Chlorine Institute. Guidelines: Asbestos Handling for the Chlor-Alkali Industry. Pamphlet 137, Edition 6 (February

2011). 4 54 Federal Register 29460 (July 12, 1989). 5 Ibid, at 29501.

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News Release For Immediate Release December 1, 2016

Contact: Scott Jensen, (202) 249-6511

Email: scott_jensen@americanchemistry.com

ACC LAUNCHES CENTER TO SUPPORT COMPANIES AND NEW

CHEMICAL SAFETY ACT

WASHINGTON (Dec. 1, 2016) – The American Chemistry Council (ACC) is pleased to announce

the creation of the Center for Chemical Safety Act Implementation, a scientific, technical and

advocacy hub that will assist companies with the implementation of the Frank R. Lautenberg

Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (LCSA), bipartisan legislation enacted to modernize the

Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

Under the new law, chemical manufacturers, processors, importers and downstream users of

chemistry will have multiple opportunities to provide input to the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) and may be subject to Agency requests for additional information on chemicals. In

an effort to share costs and promote efficiency, this new Center will provide opportunities for

companies to work together through consortia to develop comments or new data to submit to EPA.

This new collective effort will also help inform EPA decisions on chemical prioritization, risk

evaluations and risk management options.

“Because of our constructive role in the enactment of the LCSA, ACC is well versed in the new

law, and we are already actively engaged with EPA on implementation,” said ACC President and

CEO Cal Dooley. “Through the Center for Chemical Safety Act Implementation, we offer a

centralized approach that will help companies and EPA fulfill the law’s requirements.”

ACC’s Center for Chemical Safety Act Implementation is open to both ACC members and non-

members, and will enable them to take advantage of the following services: LCSA strategy

guidance; consortia management; managing data generation, including use and exposure

information; data compensation agreements; and advocacy/engagement on risk evaluation and

management decisions.

The Center is managed by ACC’s Chemical Product & Technology Division (CPTD), which for

over 40 years has helped chemical product and sector groups effectively navigate science,

regulatory and legislative challenges at the state, federal and international levels. One of CPTD’s

greatest strengths is its ability to draw on the substantive expertise, resources, reputation and

support across the entire ACC organization.

For further information about ACC’s Center for Chemical Safety Act Implementation please

contact David Fischer at david_fischer@americanchemistry.com or by phone at 202-249-6717 or

Robert Simon at robert_simon@americanchemistry.com or 202-249-6700.

Characterize Hazards andRisks Fully and Accurately

Present hazards and risks in an easy-to- understand manner to stakeholders and risk managersPresent a range of plausible values, including central estimates when going beyond a screening level assessment

Identify Key Science IssuesPrior to Initiation of Assessment

Discuss the purpose, scope and technical approachesEngage stakeholders

Use Modern Science and ToolsUse relevant dataConsider how chemicals act in the bodyEvaluate chemicals at relevant exposure levels

Apply Objective Criteria Develop and apply consistent criteria for selecting and evaluating a study, before an assessment beginsEvaluate all studies to determine their quality, relevance and reliability

Improve AccountabilityUse an independent accountability procedure to verify that revised assessments are accurate and responsive to scientific and peer review

Integrate EvidenceGive the greatest weight to information from the highest-quality and most-relevant studiesTransparently and objectively integrate evidence to make realistic determinations of hazards and risks; consider all types of evidence

Ensure Assessmentsare Transparent

Disclose key information and assumptions used to develop assessments and reach conclusionsMake materials, including important data sets, publicly available

Public Trust in High-Quality Risk AssessmentRESULT:

Data and Methods

Design

Communication

Review andAccountability

Assessments should focus on understanding the inherent properties of substances in order to determine the likelihood of harm from a specific exposure. The public, businesses and regulators look to government assessments for reliable information about the potential hazards and risks associated with chemicals.

ACC’s Principles for Improving Chemical Hazard and Risk Assessments

Conduct Scientific Peer Review by Independent Experts

Ensure peer reviewers are fully independent from the program office issuing the assessmentEvaluate peer review panels for conflicts of interest; ensure panels contain a balance of perspectives and appropriate technical expertise