Asbestos Legislation

A Canadian member of parliament has joined the chorus of advocates and health experts calling on the country to ban the exporting of asbestos.

Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing, Ontario MP Carol Hughes said in a recent speech that it was dangerous and irresponsible for Canada to be shipping asbestos to countries while thoroughly removing it from its own buildings, reports SooToday.com.

"Here in Canada, we understand how dangerous asbestos is. We have, for years, mitigated against the worst effects of this substance and sought to replace it when we know it has been used in homes and public buildings," she said. "But we are supposed to believe that developing nations will manage to do an adequate job of utilizing this unique material."

Asbestos was once widely mined and utilized in a number of industries as a flame retardant and insulator. However, by the mid-1960s it was proven that exposure to the naturally occurring substance could cause many illnesses such as malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.

Hughes also said that an asbestos export ban would not have a major impact on employment in the country, an argument that supporters of the industry have attempted to utilize to justify the revitalization of the sector.