Asbestos News
Canadian newspaper slams government for 'double-standard' on asbestos
A recent editorial in the Ottawa Citizen said the Canadian government has a double-standard when it comes to asbestos.Specifically, authorities are alright with shipping the carcinogenic substance to developing countries around the world but highly regulate its use in Canada. The news source reports that asbestos has been removed from many buildings in the North American country, most prominently the Parliament Building.
Canada has been at the center of a major asbestos controversy ever since the Quebec and federal governments began to entertain the idea of expanding the Jeffrey asbestos mine. The Conservative government ultimately decided to guarantee a large loan that would keep the asbestos industry going.
According to the Citizen, the Canadian government has also tried to stop the United Nations from listing chrysotile asbestos, which is extracted at the Jeffrey mine, as a hazardous substance.
While Canada may be lagging behind the rest of the world, it has been proven since the mid-1960s that exposure to asbestos can cause malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. These risks are so great that the substance has been banned in more than 50 countries around the world.
6/17/11
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