Tell Canada to Quit Targeting the Developing World With Deadly Asbestos

It’s no secret that asbestos is a killer. So direct is the connection between asbestos and some forms of cancer that 52 countries — and the European Union — have banned its use altogether. In America, asbestos use has come to a near-halt, after a slew of deaths forced the industry to pay $70 billion in damages and litigation costs.

The most dangerous forms of asbestos — blue and brown — were eliminated from the global trade long ago. But the demand for white asbestos (or chrysotile) is growing in the developing world, exposing 125 million people to the carcinogen every year. Public health experts warn that the continued use of asbestos will lead to new epidemics of asbestos-related illnesses in some of the world's poorest regions — with an estimated death toll of 10 million by 2030. And Canada is to blame.

Let me explain. Countries like India, China, Mexico and Brazil need cheap construction materials to provide housing and infrastructure for their bulging populations. Cement, roofing and water pipes made with asbestos are durable, cheap and fireproof. It’s a perfect match — even though Canada uses hardly any asbestos itself, the country is happy to export the lethal mineral overseas.

That means it has a huge stake in making sure pesky concerns about the dangers of asbestos aren’t taken to heart. And as the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists discovered in their recent 9-month investigation into the asbestos trade, Canada is actually backing an industry-wide lobbying campaign to ensure that the global trade in asbestos continues to flourish.

At this point, Canada's willingness to export a deadly, banned product around the world has become a national embarrassment. Tell Canada that it's time to quit trading lives for profit overseas.

Much of the Canadian government's support for asbestos is funneled through the Chrysotile Institute — a nonprofit that promotes the so-called ‘controlled’ use of asbestos. To date, the Canadian government (both provincial and national) has contributed a whopping $34 million to subsidize and promote the asbestos industry through the Institute, despite vocal opposition by activists and heath professionals. What's more, the Quebec Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade is now considering investing $50 million in loans to scale up exports from one of the province’s floundering mines.

As ICIJ details, Canada has an aggressive defender of asbestos use for years. Even as far back as 1989, for example, the Canadian government backed the lawsuit that overturned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's domestic ban of the mineral. A decade later, Canada tried (unsuccessfully) to challenge France’s ban on the substance through the World Trade Organization. And in 2008, when a United Nations chemical review committee recommended that the mineral be listed in Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention — a “semi-blacklist” of hazardous materials — Canada fiercely opposed its listing. (The committee's recommendation was subsequently dropped.)

The Chrysotile Institute itself estimates that the industry contributes just 700 direct jobs and 2,000 indirect jobs to the Canadian economy. Meanwhile, Canada's exports of chrysotile asbestos are continuing to spread asbestos-fueled fatalities across the globe.

Canada's pro-asbestos campaign is all too reminiscent of the misinformation promoted by the tobacco industry, which for years hid the risks of smoking from the public. But at this point, the deadly nature of asbestos use can't be hidden. Take action and tell Canada it's time to stop targeting the developing world with such dangerous exports today.

Photo Credit: brunkfordbraun