Asbestos-Related Cancers Cost Canada $2B Annually

The Canadian government spends about $1.7 billion annually on asbestos-related cancers stemming from occupational exposure, according to a recent Institute for Work & Health study. Researchers included the costs of treating mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer, administration expenses, patients’ out-of-pocket costs, caregiving wages, workers’ compensation and employers’ costs to replace absent workers, among other economic burdens. The investigation did not include cancers from secondhand exposure to asbestos and other cancers caused by asbestos exposure. “This [number] is really just the tip of the iceberg,” Institute for Work & Health senior scientist Dr. Emile Tompa told Asbestos.com. “When you see the magnitude of the cost, it makes you aware there is a need to take action.” Calculations were based on cases diagnosed in 2011 and those attributed to only workplace exposure. Tompa believes the cost will be closer to $2 billion annually once non-occupational asbestos exposure is included as an amendment to the earlier report. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party of Canada have pushed for a national asbestos ban despite some reluctance from various special interest groups. Canada, once one of the world’s largest producers of asbestos, no longer exports the toxic mineral, but it still imports asbestos-containing products, including construction and automotive materials. “I think you&...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: asbestos cancer asbestos in canada asbestos in canada construction asbestos in canada homes asbestos related cancers canadian asbestos epidemic mesothelioma work related asbestos exposure Source Type: news