By Canadian Contractor
Canada plans to ban asbestos products. What do you think?
Canadian ContractorWe’re looking for your feedback on this proposed legislation
You may have heard that one of the recent hot topics in Canada is the proposed plan to regulate against asbestos and asbestos-related products. The plan to ban asbestos in Canada came in from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau while running for office in 2016.
Many worried citizens, business owners and legal personas are expressing their concern over the proposed ban because of reasons such as:
1) potential elimination of many industries and businesses, using “white asbestos” products;
2) unclear economic reasons, related with health issues;
3) inability to differentiate between the different harmful and non-harmful types of asbestos
4) numerous omissions and exceptions, regarding mining activities.
The full story, presenting the various criticisms and concerns over the ban, can be read on the following page:
http://mullerandgreen.com/pm-trudeau-on-verge-of-wasting-114-million-on-canadian-asbestos-policy/
Give us you feedback so we can follow up with appropriate coverage!
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There is no safe asbestos. White asbestos is also known as chrysotile and exposure creates a serious risk of developing life=threatening illness. NIOSH has concluded that it should be treated with the same level of concern as all other forms of asbestos.
I think some further research into this question would be helpful for all of us and not just what a PR firm says. My understanding is that asbestos is an ingredient in drywall and joint compound until the 70’s and I don’t know that it is causing much of a problem. We do know how dangerous it can be but sometimes it seems we pay an inordinate amount of attention to this substance when there are many more dangerous compounds and situations around us
Based on purely anecdotal information that I have collected over the years I believe the toxicity of asbestos is overblown. There are a few different species of the mineral and the most common which is also the most used is chrysotile. Chrysotile dust is believed by some to be no more harmful then another common mineral, silica. Silica (sand) dust is produced by many activities in the construction industry both in the production and installation and maintenance of the concrete products.
The unique properties of chrysotile make it a valuable product. Much of the “hype” of it’s danger was created when workers were exposed to dense clouds of asbestos dust generated during the refining process many years ago before health and safety standards existed.
If the product is truly dangerous then it should be discarded, but if it is no more dangerous then silica dust then perhaps we should think again.