Linkmeister

I thought Canada was always the good guy!

Charming.

. . .asbestos use is growing rapidly in countries such as China and India, prompting health experts to warn of future epidemics of lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma, an aggressive malignancy that usually attacks the lining of the lungs.

The World Health Organization says that 125 million people still encounter asbestos in the workplace, and the United Nations' International Labor Organization estimates that 100,000 workers die each year from asbestos-related diseases. Thousands more perish from exposures outside the workplace.

We in the US know this; it's been highly regulated since the 1970s. It's not been banned entirely, which surprised me; the EPA issued a final rule outlawing its use in 1989 but that ruling was overturned by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans in 1990 on technical grounds (the rule was deemed "too broad" and the EPA didn't allow public comment on its rule). However, for the most part its use is highly limited in the United States. Looking for markets, the manufacturers have gone overseas to the developing world. Who's the most aggressive country selling and lobbying for the use of the stuff? Canada.

What's that all about, eh?

The federal government and the government of Quebec, where chrysotile has been mined for decades, collectively have given 35 million Canadian dollars to the Chrysotile Institute, formerly known as the Asbestos Institute.

Canada uses little asbestos domestically but it sent 168,000 tons abroad last year; more than half of that went to India. Canada has fought to keep chrysotile from being listed under Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention, a treaty that requires exporters of hazardous substances to use clear labeling and warn importers of any restrictions or bans.

Despite mounting pressure from public health officials to stop asbestos exports, Canadian officials continue to defend the industry.

All that apparently to protect one mining company (Jeffrey Mines) which has 225 employees and wants a $58M loan (CD$) from the government to help it get out of bankruptcy. One of the most frequent advertisers on my local television is a lawyer who has spent 30 years filing claims and advocating for mesothelioma victims. I honestly thought the stuff was illegal worldwide and he was in danger of running out of customers. Learn something every day.

via Kos

Posted by Linkmeister at July 25, 2010 11:51 AM | TrackBack