Quoted from http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Health+organisations+call+govt+halt+asbestos+exports/3220879/story.html

Health organisations call on government to halt chrysotile asbestos exports to developing nations

  By Robert Gibbens, The Gazette June 30, 2010    

MONTREAL – Three national health organizations Wednesday added their weight to protests against continuing Quebec exports of chrysotile asbestos to developing countries.

They also backed the Canadian Cancer Society’s appeal to Quebec Premier Jean Charest to dismiss a $58 million loan guarantee request from one Quebec producer.

The Canadian Public Health Association, the Canadian Medical Association and the National Specialty Society for Community Medicine called on the federal and provincial governments to halt the mining of asbestos in Quebec and ban exports.

They said Canada still supports the asbestos industry financially and actively promotes exports to developing countries where health regulations are lax and the public is unaware of the dangers of asbestos use.

“More than 40 countries, including all European Union members, have banned the use of all forms of asbestos, including chrysotile mined in Quebec,” they said. “There is clear scientific evidence that exposure to asbestos through mining, processing and use is harmful and can lead to lung cancer, scarring of the lungs and mesothelioma (cancer of the chest cavity).”

The $58 million loan guarantee sought by the owners of the Jeffrey mine at Asbestos, Que., for expansion “would result in the export of large quantities of asbestos to developing countries over the next 25 years,” they added.

Governments should foster new investments to support the transition to environmentally friendly and sustainable industries in the mining areas, they said.

The two remaining Quebec producers, at Asbestos and Black Lake, say chrysotile asbestos, under controlled use in mining, processing and manufacturing of pipe and other basic building materials is safe.