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Chrysotile Asbestos
WHAT IS CHRYSOTILE ASBESTOS?
"Asbestos" is the industry term given to several types of fibrous Chrysotile is a type of asbestos, of the serpentine variety. Chrysotile is a mass of soft, curly, pliable fibres. Alone, chrysotile fibres can not be seen by the naked eye. When disturbed, chrysotile has the ability to partition into tiny fibres which can remain suspended in the air and possibly enter our body if we accidentally inhale them.
CHRYSOTILE-CONTAINING PRODUCTS AND YOUR HEALTH
Scientifically, there is no safe exposure level to chrysotile. It has been recorded that even one fibre inside the lungs has the ability to cause harm. If the chrysotile fibres are inhaled, some can remain inside our lungs for an extended period of time, potentially causing one or more asbestos-related illness, such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer.
In order to make chrysotile safe for use in asbestos products, manufacturers encapsulate chrysotile into a matrix of cement or resin. This state is known as xnonfriablex, because the individual toxic chrysotile fibres are not supposed to be able to leak into the environment under pressure. Manufacturers use hand pressure as their standard of measurement. Unfortunately, workers use power tools, and not their hands, to cut chrysotile-containing materials.
Manufacturers do not label their chrysotile products, and trade workers are not trained to recognize chrysotile. Therefore, when trade workers and homeowners accidentally cut chrysotile-containing materials, the individual chrysotile fibres can escape and be breathed-in.
In addition, chrysotile fibres can also be released from modern nonfriable products when other materials included in the chrysotile-containing product degrade over time due to weathering and age.
THE FACTS ON CHRYSOTILE USE
Asbestos is a toxic substance. Like any toxic substance, asbestos cannot be used in a controlled manner. Accidents, leaks, and environmental exposure cannot be controlled by the industry that produces this toxic material nor the government which regulates its use.
This statement especially holds true for many of the developing countries that purchase chrysotile from Canada. Once chrysotile leaves Canada, there is no way for Canada to ensure that developing countries are able to follow standard safety protocols. Often, the Canadian-made safety gear is not suited to the climate of many of the developing countries, and presumes that workers in developing countries are able to read the English instructions. Furthermore, developing countries may not even be able to afford the protective gear or the state-of-the-art technology necessary to protect their workers from toxic asbestos.
CHRYSOTILE USE LEADS TO ASBESTOS-RELATED ILLNESSES
Today only modern nonfriable chrysotile-containing materials are used. These varieties have been used in Canada since 1983. Since 1983, the asbestos industry has desperately attempted to convince the world that Canadian nonfriable chrysotile is safe for use. Today, over twenty years since its introduction, cases of chrysotile-related illnesses are beginning to surface.
In 2003, le Institut National de Santé Québec released a study demonstrating that a significant percentage of workers exposed to chrysotile developed one or more asbestos-related illness.
HOW CAN YOU AVOID BEING EXPOSED TO CHRYSOTILE?
If you suspect that your home contains asbestos products, please do not disturb or remove the asbestos yourself. Instead, contact your home builder or look in the yellow pages for your local asbestos abatement companies and home inspectors trained to recognize potential chrysotile-containing materials.
TAKE ACTION!
To make a formal complaint against asbestos in our schools and the continued use of chrysotile asbestos, please contact:
The Hon. John Baird
Minister of the Environment
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Telephone: (613) 996-9778
Fax: (613) 996-0785
Email: Baird.J@parl.gc.ca
The Hon. Gary Lunn
Minister of Natural Resources
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Telephone: (613) 996-1119
Fax: (613) 996-0850
E-Mail: Lunn.G@parl.gc.ca
The Hon. Tony Clement
Minister of Health
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
Tel: (613) 944-7740
Fax: (613) 992-5092
Email: Clement.T@parl.gc.ca
Or you can send a post-free letter to your Member of Parliament:
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
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