In 2006 and 2011, Canada was the lead country to prevent the listing of chrysotile asbestos as a hazardous substance under the UN Rotterdam Convention, thus allowing asbestos to be sold in the global South as a “safe” product. After the Quebec government shut down the asbestos industry in 2012, the former Harper government still refused to support the listing at UN meetings in 2013 and 2015.
Prime Minister Trudeau has stated that asbestos is hazardous to Canadians and that his government plans to ban it. But the Trudeau government is taking the position that it has not yet made up its mind whether chrysotile asbestos should be put on the UN list of hazardous substances. How can asbestos be harmful to Canadians but not to people overseas?
Right now a special UN initiative is under way to try to resolve the crisis largely caused by Canada and get chrysotile asbestos put on the Rotterdam Convention’s list of hazardous substances at the next conference in 2017.
Click below and tell PM Trudeau Canadians want him to show his promised leadership and support the listing of chrysotile asbestos as a hazardous substance under the UN Rotterdam Convention and help make the Convention effective.
Thank you for speaking up for justice and health for all.
Kathleen
July 7th, 2016 at 4:17 pm
The asbestos cancer epidemic may take as many as 10 million lives before asbestos is banned worldwide and exposures are brought to an end. In many developed countries, in the most affected age groups, mesothelioma may account for 1% of all deaths. In addition to mesotheliomas, 5–7% of all lung cancers can be attributed to occupational exposures to asbestos. The asbestos cancer epidemic would have been largely preventable if the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labor Organization (ILO) had responded early and responsibly. The WHO was late in recognizing the epidemic and failed to act decisively after it was well under way. The WHO and the ILO continue to fail to address the problem of asbestos mining, manufacturing,
and use and world trade of a known human carcinogen. Part of the problem is that the WHO and the ILO have allowed organizations such as the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) and other asbestos industry advocates to manipulate them and to distort scientific evidence. The global asbestos cancer epidemic is a story of monumental failure to protect the public health. Environ Health Perspect 112:285–290 (2004).
July 9th, 2016 at 10:41 pm
Sir,
It is a pleasure to learn about the views of the Honourable Prime Minister who acknowledges that chrysotile asbestos like other forms of asbestos, is also a potent carcinogen. In past Canada shirked its responsibility of aligning with Europe and other countries which took measures either to ban chrysotile use completely or to restrict its use severely(US). Canadian imposition of ban on chrysotile will send a strong message to the rest of the world particularly South Asia which has recorded exponential growth of asbestos industry. When I raised the voice against asbestos industry in India they intimidated me and dragged me to the court citing that even Canada consider it safe. You can learn more about my work by typing my name in google search box (T K Joshi) and see how I was harassed for speaking science and the truth.
With Regards
T K Joshi