Chrysotile asbestos saga coming to an end?

         The blog stats show that asbestos is one of the most popular topics. Why? - would anyone want to tell me..

          Soo.. We decided to respond to the popularity of the topic and provide a thumbnail sketch / history of the industry in Québec Province and an update on what is probably the death-knell of the industry in North America.

           The name "asbestos" covers several silicate based fibrous minerals used valued for their insulating properties. Unfortunaltely, with age, the fibers breakdown and release inhalable fragments. These fragments, suspended by air currents, pose a serious health hazard for miners, workers and inhabitants of buildings with aging asbestos insulation. Those exposed to the fibers show abnormally high rates of severe respiratory disease and a rare, usually lethal form of cancer.

 definition: asbestos / health risks

            The use of asbestos is now banned in many juisdictions like the European Union and it has been placed on a list of dangerous subtances maintained by the United Nations. In late 2011, Canada's remaining two asbestos mines, both located in the Province of Québec, halted operations.

         
            In the context of asbestos mining in Québec, two categories of asbestos were recognized: "asbestos" and "chrysotile (asbestos)". The latter form of the fiber was held to be safer based upon research conducted at McGill University in Montréal. Unfortunately, this research has come under fire for "cherry picking": publishing results which favor the position held by the sponsor (the asbestos industry!)

cat-fight-at-McGill-faculty-club/ 

            The present status of the industry in Québec? Not quite dead yet but on life support. And the newly elected Parti Québécois gouvernment of Pauline Marois is thinking seriously - very seriously - of pulling the plug. 

"Quebec's government appears to be on the verge of officially turning its back on the asbestos industry, according to comments made by the province's natural resource minister.
The ministry wants to end an 11-year-old policy of encouraging the use of asbestos in Quebec construction projects and is publicly questioning the implications of exporting chrysotile asbestos."


Quebec-asbestos-policy-changes

              These policy changes, if implemented, would seem to indicate the end of Québec's asbestos saga. 

"The future of asbestos mining in Quebec ground to a halt earlier this year after the newly elected government of Pauline Marois announced it would not honour a commitment of the previous government to lend the Jeffery Mine $58 million to restart production.
The government said instead it would rather put that money into economic diversification projects in the area.
At the end of March, the province's health minister announced that the government would make public a list of buildings that contain asbestos."

                The $58 million loan mentioned was the work of the previous Libéral government of Jean Charest, defeated in September of last year. Now of course begins the work of finding alternative sources of economic development for the Asbestos region, monies in short supply thanks to the Global Recession of 2008.

                   Personally, the thing I find the most disheartening about this saga is the support the Québec labor unions gave to the asbestos mining industry, a support which was based on flimsy "scientific" evidence. Only now, that the end of the industry is virtually certain, do they begin making proper noises: evidence leads to the consclusion that no usage of chrysotile can be assured to be truly free of risk. So we withdraw our support of the industry, blah, blah, blah. 

                  I think labor leaders should be, as francophones say, "militants". They should be infused with a moral mission which is to serve the common good, a good which includes the health and well being of their fellow workers in third world countries exposed to asbestos health hazards in conditions of unsafe workplace exposure. How is the worker to thrive - nay, survive! - if labor leaders fall to the "divide and conquer" stategy of multinationals?


internal blog links: 

http://transparencycanada.blogspot.ca/2012/09/harper-flips-flops-on-asbestos.html 

http://transparencycanada.blogspot.ca/2012/06/asbestos-toxic-legacy-and-present.html 

http://transparencycanada.blogspot.ca/2011/06/crysotile-asbestos-transparency-or-lack.html

this last link contains extended commentaries in the comments section.

Harper flips (? flops ?) on asbestos

            In a surprise move, Christian Paradis, Minister of industry, announced that the federal government will no longer oppose asbestos being listed as a hazardous substance under the Rotterdam Convention. Such inclusion would effectively restrict exportation and limit revenues. Minister Paradis explicitly linked his government's decision to September 4, 2012 election of Parti Québécois chief, Pauline Marois. The mercantile / populist logic couldn't have been laid more clearly open! 
  
            In effect, Madame Marois has promised to cut a provincial loan required to open the Jefferey Mine. Up until now the Harper government could pretend to "defend Canadian jobs" by opposing the listing of asbestos on the Rotterdam list of hazardous (and controlled) substances. In reality, Harper lacks a base in Québec, so any opportunity to make a populist show of solidarity with Monsieur / Madame Toutlemonde is welcome. So what if third world workers in India, etc get lung cancer from the exported asbestos? The Market is God, after all (a Moloch man has created to enslave himself..)

             But now, with the election of the PQ, the plug has been pulled on the asbestos industry. No government start up loan for the Jefferey Mine, no asbestos industry. Simple as that. Time then to switch to Plan B..

              Plan B: Marois and her PQ are going to kill the asbestos industry anyway, so why not opportunistically pick up a few freebie votes from disaffected Liberals or left-leaning Tories with social consciousnesses? Otherwise, Harper and his gang wouldn't have given a s--t about Indian workers' lung cancers..

http://www2.macleans.ca/tag/rotterdam-convention/

internal blog link:

http://transparencycanada.blogspot.ca/2011/06/crysotile-asbestos-transparency-or-lack.html

Asbestos: toxic legacy and present hypocrisy

            The Harper government shows a lack of transparency in its dealing with international partners (with our "allies" and "friends"). On the one hand, they continue to justify the export of asbestos and asbestos derived products to third world countries like India. On the other, we pay money to REMOVE asbestos and asbestos derived products from our schools, hospitals and other intstitutions where, in the past, they were employed as insulation. Is this not the height of hypocrisy - hence of a notable lack of transparency? The almighty dollar speaks louder than basic morality, fairness and decency for this government it seems. 

French language articles appearing in the press, relating to asbestos removal and health risks employees face working in old buildings with asbestos insulation:

 http://www.lapresse.ca/dossiers/la-controverse-de-lamiante/201202/29/01-4501194-amiante-un-lourd-heritage-pour-les-batiments-publics.php?utm_source=bulletinCBP&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=retention

http://www.lapresse.ca/dossiers/la-controverse-de-lamiante/201202/28/01-4500824-amiante-on-est-tous-a-risque.php?utm_source=bulletinCBP&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=retention

Internal blog link (see commentaries also):

http://transparencycanada.blogspot.ca/2011/06/crysotile-asbestos-transparency-or-lack.html

Crysotile Asbestos: transparency or the lack thereof

          Asbestos, the insulating fiber, is a known carcinogen. The crysotile variant is less so but requires special handling to prevent inhalation of the carcinogenic fibers. Canada exports the fiber to third world countries like India from mines in Québec. The trade has been denounced because the "special handling to prevent inhalation" is rarely, if ever, achieved in the third world. See, for example:

http://hesa.etui-rehs.org/uk/dossiers/files/Calvert_%20Canada_Asbestos_Tragedy.pdf

           Why then does the Harper government continue to support the international trade in crysotile fiber when it is well known that lives in third world countries are being lost to lung cancer and other respiratory illnesses as a result of exposure to the fibers in unsafe working conditions? It is like a man profiting from selling hypodermic needles to junkies with the argument, "well, I don't know what they use them for". Out of sight, out of mind: it's a crappy morality..

           Less we be accused of Left wing bias - US?? - it should be noted that Canadian unions don't come out smellin' like roses either. As a group they have been internally paralyzed by Québec unions in the industry who have placed local job security over 3rd world health and lives. Short term logic of course: we save our jobs in Québec and to hell with Asian workers. Did no one tell them of "Divide and conquer!"