Asbestos News

A man who has been all over the papers in Canada attempting to promote the asbestos industry in recent months has reportedly declined an invitation to meet with the families of asbestos victims in Ontario.

Baljit Chadha, president of Mineral Fibre Inc., wrote to Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley to decline the invitation, reports the Sarnia Observer.

Chadha has been campaigning to revitalize the Canadian asbestos industry, erroneously arguing that asbestos can be safely used. The people of Sarnia are sadly aware of the falsity of Chadha's arguments, as the prevalent use of asbestos in the area has led to a high rate of asbestos diseases in the area.

"It's a very false statement to make these claims that it can used safely," Stacy Cattran, whose father was an asbestos victim, told the news source. "It wasn't used safely in Canada and it certainly isn't being used safely in the developing world."

Asbestos illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma and asbestosis are especially insidious as they often lay dormant for decades before they manifest symptoms, meaning that once they are diagnosed it is typically too late for a cure.