| The carcinogenicity of all types of asbestos has been well documented by epidemiological studies not only in other Western countries but also by independent organizations in Canada itself.
Yet, Canada, while pursuing a no home use policy vis-à-vis asbestos products, continues to refuse shutting down its asbestos mining activities.
These are activities that arguably claimed some 350 lives in 2005 and many more in the countries, mostly poor, to which it exports asbestos. The death toll is set to grow as more cases of asbestos-caused diseases come to light.
While one would understand less affluent countries like Russia and Zimbabwe exporting asbestos, Canada’s policy remains inexplicable given that it is a first world country to whom asbestos mining is no longer a significant generator or either jobs or revenues.
Occupation-Asbestos related deaths in Canada
According to research by Ottawa-based Center for Study of Living Standards, a non-profit organization, asbestos accounts for 70% of the increase in workplace-related deaths in Canada. Occupational fatalities in the country increased from 958 in 2004 to 1,097 in 2005.
Of the 2005 statistic, 491 deaths were caused by accidents and 557 by diseases contracted in the course of occupational work. Of the 557 deaths related to occupational disease, 61% -- or 340 deaths -- were caused by exposure to asbestos compared to less than 60 a decade earlier.
The main asbestos-related diseases are: asbestosis, and mesothelioma. The former is more widespread and, though non-cancerous in itself, can deteriorate into mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is almost always cancerous – and fatal within one-to-two years of detection. Its high fatality rate is due to the long latency period (15-50 years) of the disease, as a result of which most cases are beyond cure by the time they are diagnosed.
Asbestos-related mortality prospects in Canada
It is true that safeguards are in place at asbestos mines in Quebec, the only area in Canada where asbestos mines are still operating. The world’s largest open pit asbestos mine, Jeffrey Mine, is located here. Despite the safeguards, the fact is that open pit mines don’t lend themselves to absolute safeguards from environmental pollution by dust of the mined material, which in this case is asbestos.
The issue however is past exposure. Given the long latency period of both asbestosis and mesothelioma, the cases that are currently coming to light can be traced to exposure prior to the 1990s and as far back as 1950s-60s. Within a few years, most cases will pertain to exposure in the 1970s and 1980s in addition to earlier decades. Thus, the number of cases is set to increase.
True, the use of asbestos products within Canadian borders is severely restricted. However, all the asbestos that has been used in the past decades – especially in concrete structures – is now in a ‘locked’ state and will be ‘unlocked’ when these structures will be up for repair or demolition. At that stage, asbestos will be in the air in the specific areas and workers (even though masked) will stand at risk. Thus, asbestos-related diseases are going to increase in Canada in line with the global reality.
So, how many deaths can that result in? Consider that the number of asbestos-related deaths increased 467% in 10 years -- from 60 deaths in 1995 to 340 in 2005. If we are to apply the same percentage increase over the next 10 years, the toll would be nearly 1,600 in 2017. Realism demands that a higher figure be taken because detection rates would be higher in the next 10 years as the latency periods run out and symptoms start showing up. So, the stage for an epidemic seems set. |
